What You Need to Know
At the beginning of a marriage, most people never expect to reach a point where they feel suspicious and untrusting of their spouse. Unfortunately, however, more than a few marriages do reach that point. Maybe you’ve been having difficulties as a couple for some time now. It could be that one of you – or both of you – have engaged in activities that you shouldn’t have.
When those things happen, it’s not unusual for emotions like mistrust, anger, and jealousy to arise in your relationship. It’s not unusual for you to feel suspicious of your spouse – or for your spouse to feel suspicious of you. In these circumstances, you might wonder if your spouse has begun spying on you – or you might be considering spying on your spouse.
You may be wondering – should I put a GPS tracker on my spouse’s car? Should I read my spouse’s emails? Should I put a spyware app on his or her phone? What about hiring a private investigator? These are all thoughts and questions that are understandable, and that come to mind when you’re hoping to obtain information to either confirm or deny your suspicions. As you’re considering all of these things, you may be wondering – is it even legal to spy on your spouse?
The answer to that question can be somewhat of a gray area. Without question, now more than ever, in light of the highly advanced technology we have available at our fingertips every moment, spying is easier than ever. Various methods of spying can often be implemented fairly effortlessly, and often entirely without the knowledge of the other spouse. It’s important to remember though, that just because something might be easy, doesn’t mean that it’s legal.
In North Carolina, and under federal law, there are very particular and complex statutes and legal restrictions that apply to activities that are often considered “spying”. In some cases, if you know your spouse’s passwords, and you regularly share email accounts, cell phones, or computers, it may be fine for you to look through the information contained on those devices. In other situations, where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists, it might not be. Because there are so many gray areas, seeking legal advice is always one of the best and most important steps you can take before deciding to act.
We hope that these articles provide some helpful guidance as to what the law says about spousal spying and some practical advice about what you should and shouldn’t do if you find yourself feeling suspicious of your spouse and wanting answers. While it is our hope that the resources we have provided are helpful, they are certainly no substitute for the advice and assistance of a knowledgeable and experienced attorney. At The Law Office of Dustin McCrary, we’re here to provide exactly that. Call us any time – we would be honored to help you through your divorce journey and on toward the next bright chapter ahead.