The Divorce Attorney Journal

Snooping on your spouse’s phone when you’re married isn’t for everyone. Some couples agree to full transparency and hand over their gadgets regularly, while others prefer to maintain some aspect of personal privacy in their relationship. If all parties are in agreement, things are probably all good. Problems arise though when troubled couples or those getting a Michigan divorce start looking at each other’s phones without permission, seeking to confirm suspicions or gather intel.

Stats Behind Couples’ Phone Hacking

PasswordManager, an online security resource entity, conducted a survey about Americans and their habits when it comes to hacking their romantic partner’s phone. Here are some of the key findings:

• 50% have hacked a romantic partner’s phone
• Women (54%) were more likely to admit they’ve snooped than men (46%)
• 22% used their partner’s finger without permission to access their phone
• 22% accessed a bank account
• 15% transferred money through Venmo, Paypal, or a similar app

These stats are interesting and they certainly say a lot about the state of relationships these days if half of men and women have no qualms about spying on their partner or feel like the one they love isn’t being fully honest. Unfortunately for many of these couples and individuals, the following stats are also a reality:

• 83% were looking for evidence of cheating
• 55% found evidence of cheating
• 77% were looking for evidence of lying
• 66% found out they were being lied to

The question then becomes: What do you do with this information?

Michigan Is a No-Fault Divorce State

Cell phone hacking has led to many Michigan divorces, but just because you’re still legally bound to someone that doesn’t give you the right to poke around in their cell phones, bank accounts, emails, and social media accounts. Sure, you might be looking for evidence of infidelity, gambling, or other types of cheating and lying, but your methods of gathering information won’t do much to help you in a no-fault state like Michigan.

If your case does involve a clear issue of fault, additional discovery or investigation will need to be done in regard to the alleged fault – and this is something an expert should handle, not you. Your Michigan divorce lawyer will likely help you hire a private detective, send a letter to your ex’s divorce lawyer about their client losing or destroying evidence, or take depositions to find out the information you need in proving fault.

This kind of investigation will be costly, which is why many people choose to take matters into their own hands first against the advice of counsel. Unfortunately, you then open yourself up to serious legal repercussions. It’s illegal to access someone else’s private electronic information or to hack into someone’s cell phone to read their texts, emails, or social media messages.

Get Help with Your Michigan Divorce

Your Michigan divorce lawyer knows you want to save money and do your part to help prove your ex’s indiscretions, but it’s better to follow the expert’s guidance than try to figure things out on your own.  Contact Femminineo Attorneys for your initial consultation.