Divorce and Your Privacy: What You Need to Know in Yuma, Arizona

When you file for divorce, your divorce proceedings will become part of the public record. This means that information presented during your case could potentially be accessible to the public. You should expect that anything said during a trial will be on the public record. This means that if there’s salacious information about an affair or damaging information about abuse you may have sustained, this information could potentially be available for the public to see. It is understandable that individuals with reputations to protect or those who may be facing a messy divorce won’t want their private lives out for the public to see, or discover. 

Because a divorce can reveal sensitive information about your life, many couples choose to settle their divorce outside of court to prevent more of their private and personal information being accessible to the public. However, there are situations where a couple may still need to take their divorce case to court. For example, if you are concerned for the safety of your children due to domestic violence, or if you need to litigate because of business matters involving your divorce, you may need to go to court. If you want to protect your privacy, you may have the option to request that your divorce case be placed under seal. This means that your divorce record won’t be available for the public to see. Sometimes the court may agree to place certain confidential or sensitive information under seal and leave some information on the public record. Other times the court may place information under seal without your need to make a request. For example, if the divorce case involves child abuse or sexual assault, the court may place sensitive information under seal. However, individuals should not assume that information will be placed under seal. 

In order to place a divorce case under seal, you’ll need to make the case to the court that there is a compelling reason to protect your privacy and that this reason supersedes the public’s right to access court records and this particular public document. Some valid reasons that the courts may accept when placing a divorce under seal is the need to protect the identity of the children in the divorce, the desire to protect yourself as a victim of domestic violence, the desire to keep information about your bank account private, and the need to protect business information that may have been revealed or disclosed during the case. 

The best way that you and your partner can protect your privacy is to agree to settle your divorce privately. That way, you don’t leave it up to the court to decide whether aspects of your divorce are private or for the public to potentially view. Schneider & Onofry, P.C. is a divorce law firm in Yuma, Arizona that can assist you with your divorce case and can assist you if you want to petition to seal your divorce records from public view.

Social Media and Divorce Privacy

For high net worth individuals, individuals with a high public presence in the community, and for those with concerns about their private information becoming public, settling a divorce case privately can be the best course forward. But there are still ways that information can get into the wrong hands. Divorcing couples should be careful about what they post on social media, and about what they share with friends, co-workers, and family. Photos of that affair can leak through social media, and things you may have believed you shared in private may turn out to have been public knowledge. Don’t go on a social media tirade about your ex either, because this can be used in court against you and can also be ways in which your privacy can be violated. What can you do if your ex is posting pictures of you that you don’t want posted, or is revealing false information about you? You may be able to pursue your ex in court regarding libel or slander and for releasing photos of you without your permission. Schneider & Onofry, P.C. is a divorce law firm in Yuma, Arizona that can help you navigate some of the unique challenges that divorce can raise. If you own a business, have a reputation to protect in your community, or are concerned that aspects of your divorce could hurt your reputation or your livelihood, the divorce lawyers at Schneider & Onofry, P.C. may be able to help you.

Protect Your Privacy During Divorce