A message sent in anger at 11 p.m., a photo from a weekend trip posted without a second thought, or a comment left on an ex-spouse's post during a particularly difficult week can easily become evidence in divorce and custody matters. The rise of digital communication has changed how family law cases are investigated, prepared, and argued, and the data from the legal profession reflects a shift that shows no sign of reversing.
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D<:==6C?7:C>]4@>^Qm$<:==6C? u:C> s:G@C46 U2>Aj r9:=5 rFDE@5J {2HJ6CDk^2m[ 2 %6I2D 72>:=J =2H 7:C>[ D66D E9:D D9:7E 7:CDE92?5] pEE@C?6JD E96C6 C68F=2C=J 25G:D6 4=:6?ED @? >2?28:?8 E96:C 5:8:E2= AC6D6?46 @?46 =:E:82E:@? 368:?D[ 3642FD6 E96 C64@C5 2 A6CD@? 92D 244F>F=2E65 3J E92E A@:?E 42? DA2? J62CD[ 2?5 @AA@D:?8 4@F?D6= 92D E@@=D E@ C6249 324< 7FCE96C E92? >@DE A6@A=6 6IA64E]k^Am
k9bm(92E pEE@C?6JD pC6 $66:?8k^9bm
kAm%96 p>6C:42? p4256>J @7 |2EC:>@?:2= {2HJ6CD Wpp|{X[ 2 AC@76DD:@?2= @C82?:K2E:@? 4@>AC:D:?8 2AAC@I:>2E6=J `[e__ @7 E96 ?2E:@?VD =625:?8 72>:=J =2H 2EE@C?6JD[ 92D EC24<65 E96 8C@HE9 @7 5:8:E2= 6G:56?46 24C@DD >F=E:A=6 DFCG6JD DA2??:?8 >@C6 E92? 2 564256] %96 A:4EFC6 E96J 5@4F>6?E :D @?6 @7 6D42=2E:?8 C6=:2?46 @? 6=64EC@?:4 C64@C5D 2E 6G6CJ DE286 @7 72>:=J 4@FCE AC@4665:?8D]k^Am
kAmp k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^3:8\DFC86\:?\D@4:2=\?6EH@C<:?8\6G:56?46\D2JD\DFCG6J\@7\?2E:@?D\E@A\5:G@C46\=2HJ6CD\gc_adfba]9E>=Qma_`_ pp|{ DFCG6Jk^2m 7@F?5 E92E g`T @7 >6>36C 2EE@C?6JD 925 D66? 2? :?4C62D6 :? 42D6D FD:?8 D@4:2= ?6EH@C<:?8 6G:56?46 @G6C E96 AC:@C 7:G6 J62CD] u2463@@< H2D 4:E65 2D E96 AC:>2CJ D@FC46 3J eeT @7 C6DA@?56?ED[ 7@==@H65 3J |J$A246 2E `dT 2?5 %H:EE6C 2E dT] qJ a_`d[ E96 A:4EFC6 925 6IA2?565 H6== 36J@?5 2?J D:?8=6 A=2E7@C>]k^Am
kAmp k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^AC?6HDH:C6]4@>^?6HD\C6=62D6D^9F86\:?4C62D6\@7\E6IED\2?5\2AA\6G:56?46\:?\5:G@C46D\D2J\?2E:@?D\E@A\=2HJ6CD\b___hec`d]9E>=Qm7@==@H\FA pp|{ DFCG6J C6=62D65 :? a_`dk^2m 7@F?5 E92E hfT @7 >6>36CD 925 D66? 2? :?4C62D6 :? 5:G@C46 6G:56?46 E2<6? 7C@> D>2CEA9@?6D 2?5 @E96C H:C6=6DD 56G:46D :? E96 AC6465:?8 E9C66 J62CD] p? 2=>@DE F?:G6CD2= hhT 4:E65 2 C:D:?8 ?F>36C @7 E6IE >6DD286D 36:?8 FD65 :? 42D6D] p>@?8 2AA\D@FC465 6G:56?46[ u2463@@< =65 2E c`T[ 7@==@H65 3J %H:EE6C 2E `fT 2?5 x?DE28C2> 2E `eT]k^Am
k7:8FC6mk:>8 DC4lQ9EEADi^^:>286D]DE24<6C]4@>^H^`ag_^:>286D^DE@C:6D^a_ae^`_^_h^w@HTa_$@4:2=Ta_|65:2Ta_xDTa_q6:?8Ta_&D65Ta_p82:?DETa_!6@A=6Ta_:?Ta_s:G@C46Ta_2?5Ta_rFDE@5JTa_r2D6DTa_\Ta_r92CE]A?8Q 2=ElQp DFCG6J D9@H:?8 2EE@C?6JD C6A@CE:?8 2 C:D6 :? 5:8:E2= 6G:56?46]Q DEJ=6lQH:5E9i `__TQ ^mk7:842AE:@?m$<:==6C? u:C> s:G@C46 U2>Aj r9:=5 rFDE@5J {2HJ6CDk^7:842AE:@?mk^7:8FC6m
kAmQx? E96 A2DE[ 2 DFDA:4:@FD DA@FD6 >:89E 92G6 EFC?65 E@ 2 AC:G2E6 :?G6DE:82E@C 7@C E9:D <:?5 @7 56E2:=65 :?7@C>2E:@?[Q D2:5 pp|{ AC6D:56?E y2>6D |4{2C6? 2E E96 E:>6 @7 E96 7@==@H\FA DFCG6J[ Q3FE ?@H252JD >@DE A6@A=6 H:==:?8=J 42CCJ 2C@F?5 D@>6 <:?5 @7 H:C6=6DD EC24<:?8 56G:46 6G6CJH96C6 E96J 8@]Qk^Am
kAm%92E @3D6CG2E:@? 92D @?=J 8C@H? >@C6 C6=6G2?E :? E96 J62CD D:?46] %96 A=2E7@C>D 92G6 >F=E:A=:65[ E96 G@=F>6 @7 52:=J 5:8:E2= 4@>>F?:42E:@? 92D 8C@H?[ 2?5 E96 6G:56?E:2CJ 7@@EAC:?E A6@A=6 =62G6 369:?5 92D 6IA2?565 244@C5:?8=J]k^Am
k9bmw@H $@4:2= |65:2 tG:56?46 uF?4E:@?D :? u2>:=J {2Hk^9bm
kAm$@4:2= >65:2 2?5 5:8:E2= 6G:56?46 DFC7246 24C@DD >F=E:A=6 42E68@C:6D @7 72>:=J =2H 5:DAFE6D] %96 >@DE 5:C64E FD6 :D :? 4FDE@5J AC@4665:?8D[ H96C6 2 A2C6?EVD @?=:?6 3692G:@C 42? 36 D4CFE:?:K65 2D 2 >62DFC6 @7 A2C6?E:?8 ;F58>6?E] !@DED D9@H:?8 DF3DE2?46 FD6[ ?68=64E @7 49:=5C6?[ @C 3692G:@C E92E 4@?EC25:4ED 4@FCEC@@> E6DE:>@?J 42? D9:7E 2 ;F586VD 2DD6DD>6?E :? H2JD E92E 492C24E6C H:E?6DD6D 42??@E 62D:=J 4@F?E6C]k^Am
kAmu:?2?4:2= 5:DAFE6D 2C6 2?@E96C 4@>>@? 4@?E6IE 7@C E9:D 6G:56?46] p DA@FD6 H9@ 4=2:>D 2? :?23:=:EJ E@ A2J DFAA@CE H9:=6 D:>F=E2?6@FD=J A@DE:?8 23@FE 6IA6?D:G6 EC2G6=[ C6DE2FC2?E >62=D[ @C ?6H AFC492D6D 4C62E6D 2 5@4F>6?E2CJ C64@C5 E92E @AA@D:?8 4@F?D6= 42? FD6 E@ 492==6?86 7:?2?4:2= 5:D4=@DFC6D]k^Am
kAm%6IE >6DD286D 42CCJ A2CE:4F=2C H6:89E 3642FD6 @7 E96:C :?7@C>2= C68:DE6C] &?=:<6 6>2:=D[ H9:49 >@DE A6@A=6 4@>A@D6 H:E9 D@>6 2H2C6?6DD @7 E96:C A6C>2?6?46[ E6IED 2C6 HC:EE6? BF:4<=J[ @7E6? 6>@E:@?2==J[ 2?5 H:E9@FE 6IA64E2E:@? @7 2? 2F5:6?46] pp|{ 2EE@C?6JD 92G6 ?@E65 E92E E6IED 2C6 6DA64:2==J FD67F= 7@C 4C@DD\6I2>:?2E:@? 3642FD6 E96J 42AEFC6 F?8F2C565 DE2E6>6?ED 2?5 H@C5D 49@D6? :? 2 >@>6?E @7 7CFDEC2E:@? C2E96C E92? :? 2 =2HJ6CVD @77:46]k^Am
k9bm%96 pFE96?E:42E:@? "F6DE:@?k^9bm
kAm}@E 6G6CJE9:?8 AF==65 7C@> 2 D@4:2= >65:2 244@F?E :D 2FE@>2E:42==J 25>:EE65 :?E@ 6G:56?46] r@FCED C6BF:C6 E92E 5:8:E2= 6G:56?46 >66E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=2H]4@C?6==]65F^CF=6D^7C6^CF=60h_`QmDE2?52C5D @7 2FE96?E:4:EJk^2m 2?5 C6=6G2?46[ 2?5 E96 AC@46DD @7 6DE23=:D9:?8 E9@D6 DE2?52C5D 92D 6G@=G65 2D E96 E649?@=@8J 92D] p D4C66?D9@E 2=@?6[ H:E9@FE >6E252E2 @C @E96C G6C:7:42E:@?[ >2J 36 :?DF77:4:6?E] r@FCED 92G6 :?4C62D:?8=J C6BF:C65 5@4F>6?E2E:@? @7 E96 492:? @7 4FDE@5J 2?5 >6E9@5D @7 42AEFC6[ A2CE:4F=2C=J 2D E96 23:=:EJ E@ 65:E 5:8:E2= :>286D 92D 364@>6 >@C6 2446DD:3=6]k^Am
kAm%96 pp|{VD @H? =2H C6G:6H 4@>>6?E2CJ[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]22>=]@C8^HA\4@?E6?E^FA=@25D^r@>>6?E0p}0~'t#'xt(0~u0p&%wt}%xrp%x~}0|t%w~s$0u~#0$~rxp{0|tsxp0t'xst}rt]A57QmAF3=:D965 :? :ED >6>36C ;@FC?2=k^2m[ 56D4C:36D 2FE96?E:42E:@? @7 D@4:2= >65:2 6G:56?46 2D 2 56G6=@A:?8 2C62 @7 AC24E:46[ H:E9 DE2?52C5D G2CJ:?8 3J ;FC:D5:4E:@? 2?5 4@?E:?F:?8 E@ 36 C67:?65 3J 42D6 =2H] %92E G2C:23:=:EJ >62?D E96 25>:DD:3:=:EJ @7 2?J 8:G6? A@DE @C >6DD286 56A6?5D A2CE=J @? 9@H :E H2D @3E2:?65 2?5 9@H 42C67F==J :E H2D 5@4F>6?E65]k^Am
k9bm(92E E96 s:8:E2= u@@EAC:?E p4EF2==J r@G6CDk^9bm
kAm!6@A=6 8@:?8 E9C@F89 2 5:G@C46 @C 4FDE@5J 5:DAFE6 @7E6? 7@4FD @? E96 @3G:@FD[ DF49 2D ?@E A@DE:?8 A9@E@D E92E =@@< 325 @C G6?E:?8 23@FE E96 @E96C A2C6?E AF3=:4=J] %96 24EF2= D4@A6 @7 5:D4@G6C23=6 5:8:E2= >2E6C:2= 6IE6?5D 4@?D:56C23=J 7FCE96C E92? >@DE A6@A=6 6IA64E]k^Am
kAmpEE@C?6JD 4@?D:DE6?E=J 25G:D6 282:?DE A@DE:?8 23@FE ?6H C6=2E:@?D9:AD[ >2;@C AFC492D6D[ @C EC2G6= 5FC:?8 24E:G6 42D6D[ 2D E96D6 42? 4@?EC25:4E 7:?2?4:2= 5:D4=@DFC6D @C A2C6?E:?8 2G2:=23:=:EJ 4=2:>D] {@42E:@? 52E2 6>365565 :? A9@E@D 42? 6DE23=:D9 H96C6 D@>6@?6 H2D 2E 2 8:G6? E:>6[ 2?5 4964<\:?D @C E28D 7C@> E9:C5 A2CE:6D 42? DFC7246 :?7@C>2E:@? 2 A6CD@? ?6G6C 5:C64E=J AF3=:D965] s2E:?8 2AA 24E:G:EJ 92D 2AA62C65 :? 5:G@C46 42D6D 2D 6G:56?46 @7 4@?5F4E 5FC:?8 E96 >2CC:286]k^Am
kAm!C:G2E6 >6DD286D D6?E E9C@F89 2?J A=2E7@C> 4@??64E65 E@ 2 56G:46 DF3;64E E@ 5:D4@G6CJ D9@F=5 36 EC62E65 2D A@E6?E:2==J 2446DD:3=6] %96 pp|{VD a_`d DFCG6J 7@F?5 E92E v!$ 52E2 H2D 2>@?8 E96 42E68@C:6D @7 6G:56?46 82E96C65 7C@> D>2CEA9@?6D[ 2=@?8D:56 E6IED[ 6>2:=D[ 42== 9:DE@C:6D[ 2?5 :?E6C?6E 3C@HD:?8 C64@C5D] %96 D276DE H@C<:?8 2DDF>AE:@? 5FC:?8 24E:G6 =:E:82E:@? :D E92E 2?J 5:8:E2= 4@>>F?:42E:@?[ C682C5=6DD @7 A=2E7@C> @C :?E6?565 2F5:6?46[ 4@F=5 6G6?EF2==J 36 C6G:6H65 3J @AA@D:?8 4@F?D6=]k^Am
k9bm(92E E96 s2E2 $F886DEDk^9bm
kAm%96 =682= AC@76DD:@?VD 52E2 @? 5:8:E2= 6G:56?46 C6G62=D E92E E96 D92C6 @7 42D6D :? H9:49 6=64EC@?:4 C64@C5D A=2J 2 >2E6C:2= C@=6 92D 8C@H? 6G6CJ J62C E92E 2EE@C?6JD 92G6 366? DFCG6J65 @? E96 BF6DE:@?] %96 5:C64E:@? @7 E92E EC6?5 :D ?@E =:<6=J E@ 492?86 2D 4@>>F?:42E:@? 4@?E:?F6D E@ >:8C2E6 E@H2C5 A=2E7@C>D E92E 86?6C2E6 A6CD:DE6?E[ D62C4923=6 C64@C5D]k^Am
kAmu@C A6@A=6 :? 24E:G6 =:E:82E:@?[ E96 82A 36EH66? H92E 766=D AC:G2E6 2?5 H92E :D =682==J 2446DD:3=6 92D ?2CC@H65 4@?D:56C23=J] r@FCED 92G6 C6A62E65=J 277:C>65 E92E E96 6IA64E2E:@? @7 AC:G24J 5@6D ?@E 6IE6?5 E@ 4@?E6?E D92C65 @? D@4:2= A=2E7@C>D[ 6G6? D6=64E:G6=J[ 2?5 E92E 5:8:E2= C64@C5D AC@5F465 5FC:?8 2 >2CC:286 @C 4FDE@5J 5:DAFE6 2C6 2D 2G2:=23=6 E@ @AA@D:?8 4@F?D6= 2D 2?J @E96C 5@4F>6?E :? 2 42D6 7:=6] %96 5:8:E2= C64@C5 244F>F=2E65 @G6C J62CD @7 52:=J =:76 :D 2=C625J A2CE @7 E96 42D6]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D<:==6C?7:C>]4@>^3=@8^a_ae^D6AE6>36C^9@H\D@4:2=\>65:2\:D\36:?8\FD65\282:?DE\A6@A=6\:?\5:G@C46\2?5\4FDE@5J\42D6D^Qmk6>m%9:D DE@CJk^6>mk^2m k6>mH2D AC@5F465 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D<:==6C?7:C>]4@>^Qmk6>m$<:==6C? u:C> s:G@C46 U2>Aj r9:=5 rFDE@5J {2HJ6CDk^6>mk^2m k6>m2?5 C6G:6H65 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9F3D]=2^"_b<=8$#_Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmk6>m$E24<6Ck^6>mk^2m]k^Am
