Facebook profiles, websites and even gaming characters such as those from unbelievably popular games like World of Warcraft will become increasingly important when couples consider divorce.
It sounds ludicrous but is probably inevitable.
In a draft paper written by Sally Brown Richardson, which you can find here, the prospect of these online issues is considered. Sally does so against a backdrop of considering which online assets are accrued prior to and during the marriage, and also in the context of American law, but the fascinating paper clearly has application here.
What happens to the Facebook profile and the hundreds or thousands of friends? This might be more relevant where specific group or business pages have been set up. Can a value be attributed to them, and how?
What about website addresses and the websites themselves? Do these have a value, or potential value?
One partner might have created a blog which has gone on to become valuable in its own right.
The truly chilling thought, though, for most lawyers will be the prospect of having to argue, in front of an irritated and bewildered district judge, who gets to keep the 72nd level Orc called Elf-Smiter post separation.
That is not a day that I, for one, am looking forward to.
The report linked to above is recommended reading.
If you have questions about this or other more conventional divorce matters, including collaborative law, then do not hesitate to contact the family law and divorce team at Mogers, in Bath. You can visit our contact page here.
With thanks to leading social media and communications expert Diana Railton for alerting us to this paper.
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