Experts recently coined a new term to describe cheating on one’s spouse via text message: chexting. While the concept may be relatively new, celebrities such as Tiger Woods and Jesse James — Sandra Bullock's soon-to-be-ex-husband — now know that chexting comes with its own set of risks.

Over the past few months, both Tiger Woods and Jesse James, a custom motorcycle builder and television personality, have discovered that leaving text message evidence of extramarital affairs can lead to tremendous problems. Woods' wife Elin discovered Tiger's multiple affairs when looking through his cell phone, and Michelle "Bombshell" McGee, a tattoo model and stripper, provided revealing text messages as proof of her relationship with James.

Although this may have been the first mainstream introduction to the idea of chexting, an increasing number of divorces involve one spouse being unfaithful by means of modern technology. In some cases cheating occurs by cell phone, while in others it occurs via internet chat rooms or instant messaging.

What kinds of problems can this cause in divorce proceedings? More than anything else, compromising text messages and emails provide proof that a spouse has been unfaithful. If discovered in an otherwise "he-said, she-said" divorce proceeding, text messages could be used to prove infidelity, which might possibly trigger payoff provisions in a prenuptial agreement or lead to the discovery of other serious monetary consequences, such as marital waste.

And while users can certainly delete text messages from their phones, are they ever really gone? It is not that simple: some companies now produce software that can retrieve deleted data. So no matter how careful a cheating spouse may be, there is a good chance that experts can recover evidence of his or her affair.

If you or someone you love is considering divorce, contact an experienced divorce attorney. A lawyer experienced in handling divorce can explain your options and help you protect your rights.