Digital Forensics: Changing The Face Of Divorce

Posted on: 2 April 2017

While no couples enter into a marriage contract with the intention of getting divorced, there is always the potential for a marriage to go bad and end in a highly-disputed divorce. If you are battling your spouse in family court, it's important to recognize the role that electronics can play in modern divorce proceedings.

Here are three ways that digital forensics are changing the face of modern divorces.

1. Digital forensics can help prove business income.

Finances are one of the most highly-contested aspects of divorce battles. It's not uncommon for one spouse to attempt to conceal business income in an attempt to reduce the amount of child support, alimony, or spousal support that he or she is required to pay.

Thanks to digital forensics and the existence of electronically stored information, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for individuals to hide business income from a spouse. A digital forensics specialist can examine encrypted data in order to discover valuable information on the cash flow of a business, allowing you to get the financial assistance you are entitled to during a divorce.

2. Digital forensics can provide evidence of the movement of money.

Any time money is transferred from one financial institution to another electronically, a record of this transaction is captured in digital form. Even ATM withdrawals leave a digital trail, making it possible for a skilled digital forensics specialist to identify the movement of any money that occurs in the time period leading up to a divorce.

Utilizing this type of digital evidence prevents one spouse from moving money in an effort to hide personal assets from the other spouse or the court. This makes it possible to gather accurate financial information for both spouses, helping the court resolve divorce disputes more efficiently.

3. Digital forensics can provide proof of spending.

Some spouses will go on a spending spree in an effort to deplete financial resources prior to a divorce. Digital technology makes it possible for a skilled forensics specialist to identify a trail of spending.

In addition to tracking receipts and other evidence of purchases, many smartphones send information regarding their location to social media sites and wireless network trackers. If a spouse "checks in" to a location, this information can be compared with the date and time of major purchases in order to prove excessive spending during divorce proceedings.

Recognizing the ways that digital forensics is changing the face of modern divorces will allow you to harness its power when it comes to tracking financial assets during your divorce in the future.

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