When does Online Activity become Infidelity?

When does Online Activity become Infidelity?

Divorce laws in the US have been around for centuries, but the digital age is making many divorce cases far more complicated. Charges of infidelity used to be easy to prove in a time before the Internet. A photograph or some form of physical evidence would provide proof that something shady was going on.

But now the borders are shifting because there are so many new ways for one partner to interact someone outside of a relationship that are not physical at all. The Ashley Madison hack that exposed the emails of many many people may show that someone signed up for an account on the website, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they had an affair. That case is all the more complicated because anyone could sign up for a free account under any email and not leave a trail. This can give the appearance of an intent to commit infidelity that may never have existed.

Ultimately it is up to couples to decide where their relationship boundaries lie. Couples can have very strong and limiting boundaries. Others can be quite flexible. But when these boundaries are broken, that is when a serious talk about boundaries and infidelity must be held to prevent a divorce. Sometimes a breach is serious enough that there is no way to turn back.

If you live in Washington and you’re seeking divorce advice, contact a lawyer you can trust. Call Elise Buie Family Law Group, PLLC to schedule a consultation. Our approach to divorce will seek to find the most amicable way for a couple to part. Call now to learn more.

STAY UP TO DATE

Subscribe to our newsletters

 
Subscribe to one or more of our newsletters, delivering meaningful insight on topics that matter to you and your family.
ebl home subscribe image

FURTHER READING

Latest Blog Posts

A Seattle family law attorney can draft a prenuptial agreement or postnuptial agreement to help you and your spouse strengthen your marriage.

Learn from an experienced Seattle family law attorney about how parenting plans work in Washington state divorces.

Learn from an experienced Seattle family law attorney what happens if the marital home is only in your spouse's name during divorce.

Washington family law usually encourages parents to work out differences between themselves without involving the judicial system. Child support modification is different. Informal side agreements, even written agreements, are unenforceable in family court. So, when circumstances change accordingly, as outlined…

Reducing one’s tax obligations is a significant factor in many financial decisions, including those you make as part of your estate planning. When you get far enough into the details of your estate plan, though, you may find that tax…

If you ask those who have survived domestic violence why they stayed in abusive situations as long as they did, it is often not because they did not realize that what was happening to them was abuse. People who have…

Learn from a Seattle family law attorney how to find the right collaborative divorce lawyer for your Washington state divorce.

Learn from an experienced Seattle divorce lawyer about the benefits of collaborative divorce over litigation.

A skilled and experienced Seattle family law attorney describes the differences between collaborative divorce and divorce mediation.

A Seattle estate planning attorney can help guide you about who to choose for key roles in your estate plan.