Technology has altered countless aspects of modern family life, and the formal dissolution of some family bonds is no exception. Many divorcing couples are now turning to technology to keep tabs on their former partners, adding to the antagonism and ill will that can be involved in traditional divorce processes.
According to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, divorce attorneys are seeing an increase in technology use by feuding couples. Some attorneys argue, though, that use of electronic data, social networks and even spy gadgets leads to heated emotions and the desire for revenge. Couples who pursue their split via collaborative law, on the other hand, feel much less of a need to engage in such deceptive tactics.
In Texas, collaborative law is an option for divorcing couples that want to avoid the contention and strife that can plague those in a traditional divorce. Instead of focusing on which half of the couple wins, collaborative law seeks a win-win solution that benefits both parties.
Collaborative law also prioritizes the interest of any children involved; something that techno-spying does not. One Texas father recently told ABC News that while on visitation with his young son, the boy informed him that his mother had sewn a small tape recorder into his clothing.
The man's ex-wife fired back in the media, saying the wiretapping allegation was unfounded and that she and her former husband were agreeing to dismiss it.
One divorce attorney who has worked on high-tech cases says that emotions can become so highly charged in a divorce that couples will ignore federal wiretapping laws or state laws against secretly recording in public.
Gathering evidence should always be left to attorneys no matter what type of divorce a person chooses. Collaborative law, though, emphasizes cooperating toward a positive outcome together, rather than fighting apart toward a lopsided result.
Source: ABC News, "Relationship Wars: Feuding Couples Use Spy Gadgets to Snoop," Jim Avila, Roxanna Sherwood and Melia Patria, May 14, 2012
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