Hopefully the attorney will chime in on this because I believe the answer to this would lie in the details.
They could be used against you criminally, depending on the nature of the files. If so, then that would be the case no matter what state you were in. If it’s criminal, then it would also involve the person who sent the material to you.
I’m assuming that these weren’t just obscene…because there’s no way a judge would allow porn photos downloaded off the internet to be admitted in a custody case, unless they were of the child in question. If that were the case, then your wife would have some explaining to do about why she did not immediately report you.
Porn is not illegal and if the materials she found were just obscene and nothing criminal, she could not use them. What you do on your own time when the child/children are not in your care, is your own business.
If the photographs are relevant they could be used as evidence in a custody case. If they are photographs of child pornography this may be an issue, if they are simply indecent pictures of adults it is not likely to have much impact on custody.
I cannot advise you on criminal consequences because I do not practice criminal law.
P.S. Please feel free to bring up this or any other topic on our live call-in show every Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. EST. Visit radio.rosen.com/live for details
Helena M. Nevicosi
Attorney with Rosen Law Firm
4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 500
Raleigh, North Carolina 27607
919.787.6668 main phone
919.787.6361 main fax
Charlotte Office
301 McCullough Drive
Suite 510
Charlotte, NC 28262
Main Phone: (704)307.4600
Main Fax: (704) 9343.0044
Durham & Chapel Hill Office
1829 East Franklin Street
Building 600
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 321.0780
The response posted above is based upon the limited factual information made available and is not intended as a full and complete response to the question. The only reliable manner to obtain complete and adequate legal advice is to consult with an attorney, fully explain your situation, and allow the attorney sufficient opportunity to research the applicable law and facts required to render an accurate opinion. The basic information provided above is intended as a public service only, a full discussion with an attorney should be undertaken before taking any action. The information posted on this forum is available for public viewing and is not intended to create an attorney client relationship with any individual. These answers are provided for informational purposes only, a person should consult with their own individual legal counsel before taking any action that could affect their legal rights or obligations.
We moved to NC two weeks ago from another state. We have a 13 year old son. My wife and I have had marital problems for some time. Several years ago my wife was looking through my computer files and found some obscene photos sent to me as a joke by an associate. She copied these files and had threatened to use them as evidence of deviant behavior in a divorce/custody case. This happened over 8 years ago. Is there any way she would be able to introduce this material into a divorce/custody case, since the alleged action did not take place in NC?