With easy access to social media and the ability to post comments, opinions, vent on just about anything, it is important for parties in family law matters to be aware that social media can be a quick and effective way of providing evidence in support of a disputed fact.
Social media is the gateway to reaching millions of people in the blink of an eye through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, just to name a few. Social media can be a great platform to connect and communicate with friends, family, colleagues and professionals, but it can also be used as a platform to air grievances and make personal disputes public. In the family law arena, communicating those grievances and disputes may not be in your best interests.
You should take care about what you intend to post on any social media platform. Under the Family Law Act any person who disseminates to the public any account of proceedings that identifies a party to the proceedings, a witness or a party who is related or associated with a party to the proceedings is committing an offence which may be punishable by imprisonment. The Court also has the discretion to monitor your social media use if it deems appropriate.
Before you post a comment about someone or something that may jeopardise either your matter or someone you know, sit back, take a deep breath and ask yourself… “Do I want a Judge to read it?”….. probably not!