- posted: Jun. 29, 2014
Many written records of conversations exist today through social media, emails, texting and other forms of digital communication. In the past, courts were often at a loss to rule based on the “he said, she said” aspect of evidence. Increasingly, courts allow digital media records including emails, Facebook postings and text messages as evidence during discovery in contested divorce cases. By consulting with a Virginia Beach contested divorce attorney from the outset, you can receive valuable legal guidance and protect your rights.
Bates v. Bates is a classic example of how an email and Facebook posting affected the outcome of a contested divorce case. In this case, one of the contested issues was child custody. During the separation period, both parents shared joint legal and physical custody of the children. They attempted to reach a settlement outside of court but were unable to do so. The husband requested a child custody modification, alleging that the wife was alienating the children from him. A lower level court awarded custody to the husband and the wife appealed to the Court of Appeals. The appellate court reviewed the evidence in the case, including emails and Facebook postings as evidence provided during discovery. In a Facebook posting the wife called the husband a bad father, and in an email to him she threatened, “When this is over you'll be lucky if you get to talk to the kids on the phone." The court awarded custody to the father and based its decision on the wife’s inability to support the father’s relationship with the children.
Contested divorce attorneys in Virginia Beach can provide helpful legal advice to deal with divorce issues when emotions become heated.
Darrell M. Harding brings more than two decades of experience to every case he handles.
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Ratings & Reviews
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They handle my divorce in like 2 months and they took payment arrangements they were amazing I appreciate them
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Mr. Harding was able to get everything I wanted in my case with less than 4 hours notice to be at court as I didn't retain until the day of court. Fantastic lawyer would recommend to anyone in need of an attorney
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For such a difficult subject, Mr. Harding made this as simple as possible. He never pressured me but guided me to make the best decisions for myself and my child. He also encouraged communication between myself and my ex to settle things mo...
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Mr. Harding took his time to answer any questions that I had. Even in my fears, he consistently had a professional, yet confident demeanor that put me at ease. He never pressured me, always encouraged an open communication between myself an...
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Thomas has been absolutely heaven-sent in my family law case. He has gone above and beyond and is quick to answer any questions that I have whether it be by email, phone call, or in person. I have recommended him to several of my friends an...
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