From the Editor in Chief

• Author: Kathleen A. Hogan
• Pages: 2-3

from the

editor in chief

By

Kathleen A. Hogan

2 FAMILY ADVOCATE www.shopaba.org

FAMILY ADVOCATE

KATHLEEN A. HOGAN (kah@hoganomidi.com) is a prin cipal with Hogan

Omidi, PC, in Denver, Colora do, and Editor in Chief of

Family Advocate

.

Editorial Board

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Kathleen A. Hogan

3773 Cherry Creek N. Drive

Suite 950

Denver, CO 80209

kah@hoganomidi.com

ISSUE EDITORS

Michelle Piscopo, Philadelphia, PA

Gene Brentley Tanner, Raleigh, NC

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

Livia DeFilippis Barndollar, Westport, CT

Joy M. Feinberg, Chicago, IL

Ann M. Haralambie, Tucson, AZ

Debra H. Lehrmann, Austin, TX

Lilka B. Martinez, Placerville, CA

Michelle Piscopo, Philadelphia, PA

Gerald L. Shoemaker Jr., Norristown, PA

Gene Brentley Tanner, Raleigh, NC

Timothy B. Walker, Centennial, CO

Steven K. Yoda, Woodland Hills, CA

EDITORIAL POLICY

Family Advocate, published by the

American Bar Association Family Law

Section, oers practical, practice-oriented

articles for family lawyers, their clients,

and other professionals involved in

divorce, child custody, adoption, and other

family–law related issues. e articles

in Family Advocate do not express the

off‌icial policy of the ABA or the Family

Law Section. ey represent the views of

thoughtful members of the bench and bar

who are interested in eective advocacy

and the American family.

MANAGING EDITOR

Lori Lyons

lori.lyons@americanbar.org

312-988-5662

DESIGN

Mary Anne Kulchawik

maryanne.kulchawik@americanbar.org

ADVERTISING

Jonathan McGraw

MCI-Group

jonathan.mcgraw@mci-group.com

410-584-1979

Computers, smartpho nes, and other electronic dev ices have

become so per vasive that it is sometimes difc ult to remem-

ber how we all got along with out them. That reliance on

electronic devi ces has been accelerated by the pande mic and

the shift to remote rath er than in-person interac tions for

work, school, so cial gatherings, and enterta inment.

When it comes to family law p roceedings the use of technolog y is both a

blessing and a cur se. We have discovered unanticipated ef ciencies in the

ability to conduc t some kinds of proceedings vir tually rather than in person.

Client meetings, m ediations and trials have all been conduc ted using

technology ins tead of in person interactions . On the other hand, that same

reliance on technolog y also creates vulnerabilities to hackers , to misinfor-

mation, and to doubt s: How does one sort out what is s afe, accurate, and

reliable from all the quick xe s, instant cures, and iden tity theft scams? Just

as importantl y, how does one identify and avoid legal pi tfalls?

Sorting the whea t from the chaff and identifying the t rouble spots in

using technology i s exactly the purpose of this issu e. People engaged in a

family law proceeding may b e navigating what feels like uncharted

territory. However, there are tes ted tools available, as well as guidepos ts

to mark potential trouble s pots.

Ketan Soni discuss es the “Top Apps When Going Through a Divorc e”

that divorcing couples c an use to help them manage the transition, f rom

scheduling and commu nication apps, to budgeting and child s upport

payment apps, to m editation and wellness apps to eas e stress.

From spyware to GPS tra cking devices to car or home break-ins,

computer forensic s expert and former police de tective Russell Gilmore has

seen it all in family law case s and explains how technology can make an

already difcult si tuation much worse in his article, “Technolo gy in My

Divorce.” He cautions par ties going through a proceeding to take a

thorough inventor y of their digital footprint, including tex t messages,

emails, smart phones, and more, and secure it , even if it means hiring an

expert to help.

By now we know that anyth ing you post on social media never really

goes away, even after you de lete it. During a family law matter, anything

about you online, whe ther you posted it or someone els e, could be

admissible in cour t, says Justin W. Soulen in his article “S ocial Media Use

During a Divorce or Custo dy Case.” Soulen sympathizes with divorcin g

spouses who may b e tempted to turn to social media for suppor t during a

difcult time but t akes the better-safe-than- sorry approach and discour-

ages social media u se altogether during divorce procee dings.

The end of a relationship o ften comes with a lot of suspicion an d hard

Published in Family Advocate, Volume 44, Number 1, Summer 2021. © 2021 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof

may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.