Ashley Madison, an online dating website with 37 million users that helps married people cheat, said Monday it had been hacked and some user data was stolen.
Cordell & Cordell Principal Partner Joe Cordell spoke with Fox Business Network’s Stuart Varney to discuss the impact the breach could have on divorce attorneys, should the information be leaked.
“Divorce courts have become more salacious places ever since the Internet has gained momentum,” Mr. Cordell said. “This information will prove valuable to divorce lawyers because the laws in many states the maintenance amount is affected by whether or not there is marital misconduct. In addition, property division is affected. So it can have huge financial consequences for the people who are signing up for this.”
Mr. Cordell added that the information would provide valuable fodder for a divorce attorney working for the opposing side in a divorce case.
“It would certainly be relevant,” he said. “It comes into play in a lot of ways in divorce court. The courts are often impatient and it poisons the well in some respects in the minds of judges regarding marital misconduct and other factors. Not to mention it is often a trail that leads to additional valuable information.”
Watch the entire interview below.
Written by Joseph E. Cordell
Joseph E. Cordell is the Principal Partner at Cordell and Cordell, P.C., which he founded in 1990 with his wife, Yvonne. Over the past 25 years, the firm has grown to include more than 100 offices in 30 states, as well as internationally in the United Kingdom. Mr. Cordell is licensed to practice in the states of Illinois and Missouri and received his LL.M. from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Joseph E. Cordell was named one of the Top 10 Best Family Law Attorneys for Client Satisfaction in Missouri.
