When people get divorced, the last thing they want during an often-challenging time is to feel that their lives have become an open book. High-profile professionals or those with considerable wealth may find that specific information about the divorce is often available to the public, with results that can be damaging both personally and professionally.
For this reason, many of these individuals try to settle their divorces quickly — but that’s not always possible. So how can you maintain privacy while going through a divorce in Florida?
Going public
During a divorce, the parties involved may be tempted to release information to the media as a strategy to damage the reputation of a former spouse, but this approach can sometimes hurt their case instead of bolstering it. Remaining calm — and keeping the details private — is often a better approach as the divorce proceeds, especially when children are in the picture and may suffer due to certain information going public.
Stemming the leaks
Even when people are cautious about releasing information, leaks can and do occur. Because what happens in court is typically part of public record, privacy is difficult to guarantee. Some records may be sealed, but it’s often challenging to argue for a seal and, even then, only parts of the divorce filing may be kept private based on whether or not the information is sensitive enough to preclude the requirements for public dissemination.
If you truly want to maintain privacy during your divorce, look into options like mediation or arbitration. These methods of resolving a divorce case allow you to work with your former partner to settle tough issues like property division, child custody, child support and alimony without going to court. You’re also able to keep most divorce-related documents private when you use these forms of alternative dispute resolution.
For more information on how you can best approach your divorce, consult an experienced Florida divorce attorney at the Law Office of K. Dean Kantaras.