By now there are probably few people who are unaware of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ upcoming divorce, thanks to leaked texts between him and another woman not his wife. As one of the world’s wealthiest men, Bezos is a public figure and will likely have a difficult time keeping the details of his divorce private.
In some ways, having money can make divorce easier since there are few worries about one party being left impoverished by a divorce. However, your high net worth divorce can also make it more difficult for you to maintain your privacy unless you consider the following steps you can take to shield your private matters from the public:
Try mediation.
Not every split has to be handled in court; in fact, you can save yourself time, stress, and money by agreeing to mediate. Mediation is private and helps you work things out in a more flexible, informal setting, which usually results in better outcomes for both sides. One of the biggest benefits of mediation is that both parties have control over all the decisions and the final outcome of their divorce case. The mediator is there to facilitate decision-making, not to make the actual decisions. Because you retain control of what goes into the final divorce agreement, it is much more likely that all parties will follow the final order.
Sealed records.
If your high net worth divorce is headed for court, it becomes a public matter. However, in some circumstances you can request that your divorce records be sealed. A court may agree to seal records only upon a showing of “good cause.” The Court must balance the rights of the public against the individual rights of the parties. A court may agree to seal records if public access to those records could pose a detrimental harm to you or your children.
Social media shutdown.
The best thing you can do on social media while going through a divorce is nothing. Both you and your spouse should refrain from posting anything that may violate each other’s privacy on social media during your divorce.
You can rely on Cistaro Law to skillfully negotiate and mediate your issues to a satisfactory resolution. Should the need arise, you can also count on our experience for being aggressive litigators if the situation calls for a more assertive response. Contact us today for your free consultation.
