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Washington residents may find phone usage helpful during divorce

Going through divorce can be difficult for many Washington residents, especially if the parties are unable to agree on terms. In situations in which agreements cannot be made, a judge will likely have to determine how divorce issues are decided. Alimony, child support and property division are just a few areas that may need to be ruled upon by a court.

During divorce court proceedings, it is likely that individuals will need to present their sides of the situation and what they wish to get out of the process. Individuals will need to present evidence that may be able to help support their arguments as to why certain decisions should be made. Recently, it was reported that information from cell phones and other mobiles devices is more commonly being used as evidence.

Many individuals keep a considerable amount of information on their electronic devices, and they may not realize that some information is stored after using certain apps or other programs. As a result, individuals may use text messages, emails, call history or app usage information as evidence in court. The report stated that text messages were most commonly used and made up 46 percent of such evidence.

Going through a contested divorce may lead to a more complicated process than if parties were able to agree on decisions. However, parties should not feel as if that process is wrong if they are unable to agree, and information on divorce proceedings in Washington may help concerned individuals feel better about the the options available to them. They may also be able to better understand what evidence may be helpful and how a family law attorney can help to present it in an effective manner.

Source: Chicago Tribune, “Text messages, apps increasingly used in divorce cases“, Alejandra Cancino, June 9, 2015

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