Divorce and Your Privacy in Jackson, Mississippi

Divorce can raise many private and personal issues. If one partner had an affair or if there was domestic violence involved, the details of your divorce can have the potential to ruin your family’s reputation and privacy. When you file for divorce in Jackson, Mississippi, the divorce proceedings will be part of the public record. This means that anyone doing a public records search could potentially find your divorce papers and details about what transpired during your divorce case. This is why if you are taking your divorce case to court, you should expect that anything said in trial will be on the public record. If there was an affair, if there were things said and done that you’d rather the world not know, it is important to understand your options when it comes to protecting your privacy during divorce. What are some options you might have if you want to protect your privacy during divorce?

• Consider settling your divorce case outside of court. Many celebrities choose to settle outside of court for precisely this reason. It prevents information from ending up on the public record and therefore protects your privacy and the privacy of your children.
• Place the divorce under seal. Request that the court seal your divorce records. In order to do this, you’ll need to show the court that there is a compelling reason to seal the divorce records to protect your privacy.

Malouf & Malouf is a divorce law firm in Jackson, Mississippi that understands that many couples seeking divorce will have a concern for their privacy. This is why our divorce lawyers can work with you to help you reach a fair divorce settlement outside of court. If your case must go to trial (sometimes cases involving domestic violence, abuse, or complex family business matters may need to go to court), Malouf & Malouf is a divorce law firm in Jackson, Mississippi that may be able to help you. Our divorce lawyers can take steps to help you protect your privacy. Protecting Your Privacy: Settling Out of Court One of the best ways to protect your privacy is to settle your divorce outside of court. Remember that when you take your divorce case to court, you leave the results in the hands of a judge. This means that a judge may be making very personal decisions on your family’s behalf—decisions about where your children will live, how your child custody plan will be arranged, and decisions about how you’ll divide your hard-earned assets. Virtually anything that can be resolved in court can also be resolved privately with an out of court settlement. The best part is that with a private settlement, there won’t be many details about your divorce for the public to see on the record. Need help with a private divorce settlement in Jackson, Mississippi? Malouf & Malouf is a divorce law firm that may be able to assist you. Our divorce lawyer can review your situation, help you understand the law so that you can understand how judges would be likely to rule in your case, and then help you negotiate a settlement with your former partner that is fair for all. Sealing Your Divorce Records: Another Option for Privacy Protection Sometimes your divorce case may need to go to court. If there was domestic violence involved, if you need to seek a restraining order, or if you need to take your child custody battle to court to protect your children or seek sole custody, then your case may need to go before a judge. Fortunately, there are still ways you can protect your privacy in this instance. For example, if the case involves your children or sensitive information about domestic violence, sexual abuse, or abuse, the judge may elect on his or her own to seal the case. However, you cannot rely on this. You may need to request that the case be sealed. In order to successfully seal a divorce case you’ll need to show that your right to privacy is more compelling than the public’s right to access public information. In cases where there is sensitive information about your children, about abuse, or about your financial records, you may be able to present a compelling case for sealing the divorce record. The judge will have to balance your personal privacy with the public’s right to access public records, so building a strong case when asking for a seal is important. Malouf & Malouf is a divorce law firm in Jackson, Mississippi that may be able to help you. Other Divorce Privacy Considerations The trial is not the only place your private information can become public. Anything you post on social media is open for the public to see. This means that if you or your partner goes on a tirade about the divorce on social media or reveals private and personal information, this could all be available for the public to see. Malouf & Malouf is a divorce law firm in Jackson, Mississippi that may be able to help you take legal action if your former partner is releasing private information or photos to the public without your permission.