Social media posts are increasingly being used in evidence in court fights between separating couples, legal experts say, and online comments can have serious consequences in property and parenting disputes.

Jodylee Bartal, an accredited specialist in family law and a principal solicitor at Melbourne-based firm KHQ Lawyers, said “social media can be used and is regularly used in evidence” in court.

In one case, Bartal acted in a property dispute for a woman who estimated her former husband’s wine collection was worth more than $100,000, while he estimated it was worth less than $10,000.

The value of the collection was relevant to the division of assets.

His claims unravelled in court because he had an “Instagram account dedicated to his wine purchases”, Bartal said.

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