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Divorcing couples often prefer to keep the details of a divorce private. When couples are celebrities or high-profile individuals, keeping a divorce out of the public eye is often necessary for protecting the career, reputation, and finances of one or both spouses.
High-profile divorces require the skill and experience of a divorce attorney who can exercise discretion and recommend strategies for keeping the divorce as private as possible.
High-Profile Divorces and the Need for Privacy
High-profile divorces can quickly turn into media fodder. Concerns for quality of life alone often require that a high-profile divorce remain as discreet as possible. While no divorcing couple wants to deal with harassment by reporters regarding the end of a marriage, there are also more significant reasons for discretion.
When an actor, politician, or public personality faces divorce, their actions are subject to the scrutiny of millions. Divorce in the public eye can have a direct and significant impact on how a public figure is perceived by their supporters and peers. This, in turn, can have a harmful impact on the reputation and career of both spouses.
Furthermore, divorce records are by default a matter of public record. In high-profile divorces, allowing financial records and personal details to be made publicly available can put the financial security and business interests of both spouses at risk.
Privacy Strategies During High-Profile Divorces
Marriage and divorce are matters of public record, meaning that changes to one’s marital status are never private by default. Divorcing quietly and keeping personal information confidential requires a multi-prong strategy enacted by an experienced attorney.
Non disclosure agreements are typically signed between spouses and their attorneys as well as other professionals involved in high profile cases. At times, the Court can also impose restrictions on the public access to the courtroom. Further, in some instances the case can be processed under an Anonymous v. Anonymous caption rather than in the parties’ real names.
Hire an Experienced Divorce Lawyer
The first step for protecting privacy in a high-profile divorce is for each spouse to hire their own divorce attorney. While many family law attorneys handle divorce cases, they’re not all equally equipped to navigate a divorce that naturally draws public interest.
Some divorce lawyers specifically handle divorces with unique concerns, such as high-net-worth and high-profile divorces. Hiring an attorney with this sort of experience is paramount for protecting your privacy and ensuring your attorney has the experience your case demands.
Keep the Divorce Out of Court
Perhaps the most effective means of maintaining privacy in a high-profile divorce is to avoid courtroom proceedings. Navigating a divorce can often lead to high levels of conflict. When spouses can’t agree to the terms of a divorce settlement, the case goes to court for a judge’s ruling on matters like asset division.
Arriving at the terms of a marital settlement agreement via negotiation rather than court proceedings offers a long list of benefits. Both spouses maintain some level of control over how assets are divided, as well as other matters like support payments and child custody. In a high-profile divorce, using mediation is the most effective way to stay out of the public eye.
Request Legal Protection
Legal protections help ensure privacy during a high-profile divorce. One of the most common strategies is to request that the divorce records be sealed. This helps protect both financial and personal information from being publicly accessible.
In some cases, one spouse may desire privacy while the other goes out of their way to publicly share information about the divorce. Depending on the circumstances and how your career, reputation, and finances might be affected, an attorney can help you explore options like gag orders or confidentiality agreements to ensure your spouse’s discretion.
Consult Our Garden City Divorce Attorneys
Aiello & DiFalco is a family law firm located in Garden City, New York. Our skilled divorce attorneys have a long history of handling sensitive divorce proceedings, including high-profile divorces. We’re well-versed in creating strategies to protect the privacy, finances, and business interests of high-profile individuals facing divorce in Nassau County.
Contact Aiello & DiFalco today for a confidential consultation to discuss how we can help protect your privacy during a high-profile divorce.