Computer Forensics and Custody Cases
No one gets married with the hopes of an amicable divorce in the future. We go into marriage with love and expectations of a forever companionship.
Since this is an imperfect world and we are imperfect people, divorce is sometimes the end result of a once happy union. After years of marriage wealth and possessions can be easily divided, but when it comes to children, that division becomes complicated.
Many times, a child custody battle can be won not just by who is the fittest parent, but by what kind of cyber footprint they have.
What is a cyber footprint?
A cyber footprint is basically everything a person does online.
Though easy to erase from your view, digital footprints are not beyond reach when searched for by professionals. Call logs, social media posts, downloads, and correspondence is all useable in court if it is collected by the right digital forensics professionals.
When deciding who is the best custodial parent, an in-depth digital footprint will be created, reviewed by computer forensics experts, and critiqued by the courts.
Things like:
- · Abusive comments via social media
- · Adultery
- · High-risk digital behaviors
- · Hacking
- · Cyber-stalking
- · Child endangerment and/or abuse
- · Financial dishonesty
- · Lies and deceit
- · Lewd or illegal activities
..can all be collected and presented to the court. Damaging cyber information can do a great deal to sway a judge. While each parent is trying to show their best, if their digital footprint doesn’t match their real-life persona, a more in-depth investigation is in order.
Here’s some advice…
For individuals:
If facing a custody battle, keep your digital footprint clean. Refrain from any online activities that can be used against you. For example, no matter how bad you may want to rant on social media platforms, log out and walk away. It’s not worth losing a custody case just to air grievances.
The best thing a lawyer can do is find a quality digital forensics company that specializes computer forensics and identifying the indicators of abnormal digital behaviors.
Finding online information can be tricky, and cyber professionals can find the information to help your client build a case in their favor.
In the end, the only thing that matters is the child’s best interest. In order to protect that interest, keep your footprint clean and seek the right help.