Like other public records, information about divorces is open to the public and available to anyone who wishes to look them up
While this may not be that much of an issue for some, divorce lawyers find that for others, keeping certain personal details private is more recommended.
For those interested in having their divorce records sealed, divorce law firms can assist with that process, as it requires filing a valid reason with the family court as to why those records should be sealed.
What Are The Reasons To Request Privacy?
What are considered valid reasons for a divorce attorney to have their client’s divorce records sealed and made inaccessible to the public?
- Mental Illness or Addictions of A Spouse – Divorces involving a spouse with a mental illness or some kind of addiction can be sealed by divorce law firms for the privacy of both spouses who have been dealing with those circumstances
- Cases of Sexual Abuse or Child Abuse – Among all reasons why someone might request to have their divorce records sealed by the court, divorce lawyers find e is preferred by those involved in these cases.
- Libel – False allegations between spouses can be extremely damaging when this information is publicly available. As such, divorce attorneys and their clients can request to the courts that this information be sealed to prevent damage to a spouse’s reputation by unproven accusations.
Can Financial Records Be Kept Private?
When it comes to financial records, it is a different story.
While the previous three types of information are requested to be sealed by divorce attorneys and then sealed by the family court to protect the privacy of the individuals involved, financial records are no longer generally able to be sealed by request, as it has been found to violate certain constitutional rights.
Instead, some divorce law firms can help their clients arrange for certain sensitive and identifying information to be redacted from public record, but that is all.
Some Info Can Be Kept Private In A Divorce – Some Cannot
Going through a divorce can be a challenging event, in part due to the fact that divorce records are considered public records that are accessible to anyone.
When spouses wish to privatize certain sensitive information such as accounts of mental illness, sexual abuse, child abuse, or damaging false allegations, an experienced divorce lawyer can help them present a compelling case to the family court to have those records sealed.
By properly demonstrating good cause and that leaving certain records open to the public could be damaging, spouses can hopefully succeed in a motion by their divorce attorney to have those sensitive records sealed.