There are plenty of downsides to getting a divorce. It can be expensive to dissolve your marriage. Parental divorce can be a source of childhood trauma for your shared children. You may have to move and will likely split most of your property with your spouse.
You may also have to deal with long-term social consequences and even professional ones because you and your spouse air all of your dirty laundry in public. Statements and accusations made during divorce hearings typically become part of the public record and could impact your reputation and success in the future.
Is there any means of keeping your divorce proceedings private and confidential?
Judges can seal records in limited situations
Family law proceedings are typically part of the public record. However, in rare circumstances, judges may agree to seal the records of a couple’s divorce or at least specific records. If you don’t have grounds to request the sealing of your records, what you say in court will eventually be accessible to others.
An uncontested divorce can help you keep embarrassing details out of the record
The courts will only record what you actually say in your hearings. If, instead of filing having contested divorce, you have an uncontested one, you won’t have to make any statements about misbehavior or marital problems in front of a judge.
Instead, you will simply need to wait for the judge to approve the conditions and terms you and your spouse agreed on. Mediation is an excellent tool for those hoping who have an uncontested divorce. Under Pennsylvania law, mediation is almost always confidential.
You can hash out all of the issues from your marriage if necessary without those embarrassing facts becoming accessible to others. Getting experienced legal help with mediation or with negotiating terms for your divorce can help you keep the details of your divorce quiet.
