why may a lawyer say the defendents may want to see my facebook

by Daisy Hill II 10 min read

YOUR FACEBOOK HISTORY IS SUBJECT TO THE DISCOVERY PROCESS
During the discovery process, it is common for a domestic attorney to request that the opposing party produce a complete copy of their Facebook history.
Mar 6, 2017

Who is the Attorney for the defense attorney in the Facebook case?

Sullivan’s attorney, Janelle Caywood, told Courthouse News that it was a step forward for defense lawyers, who have problems getting access to public content. “This is the first blow to Facebook’s stonewall over user content,” she said. Facebook told Quartz it was pleased with the decision.

Can a lawyer view a client’s Facebook?

While no lawyer wants to discover embarrassing photos or comments on a client’s Facebook page that might undermine the case, Rule 3.4 prohibits an attorney from unlawfully altering or destroying evidence or assisting others in so doing.

Why did the FTC want to serve the defendants via Facebook?

The FTC, “for the sake of thoroughness,” also sought to serve the defendants via Facebook. The court noted that the FTC’s submissions regarding service via Facebook “suppl [ied]ample reason for confidence that the Facebook accounts identified are actually operated by defendants.”

Can a judge recuse himself if the prosecutor is a Facebook friend?

Consider however the Florida case, Domville v. State, 103 So. 3d 184 (Fla. 4th DCA 2012), where it was determined that the judge was required to recuse himself from a case in which the prosecutor is a Facebook friend because it could create a fear that the defendant would not receive a fair or impartial trial.

Can a lawyer request Facebook messages?

Federal law does not allow private parties to obtain the content of communications (example: messages, timeline posts, photos) using subpoenas.

Can Facebook information be used in court?

Can those comments be used in court? Whether it's Facebook posts and comments, Instagram pictures, Twitter tweets or YouTube videos, the short answer is yes: both public and private social media content can be admissible in litigation.

Can lawyers look at your social media?

Used by private investigators and law enforcement only, these programs can perform some serious magic when it comes to downloading profiles, authenticating and preserving potential evidence and using algorithms to search for specific keywords across profiles with thousands of pages that may be relevant to a case.

Can Facebook messages be used against you in court?

Generally, courts believe that social media posts are not “cloaked in an expectation of privacy.”1 In essence, courts have held that posting on social media is a public activity; the opposite of having a private conversation in your own home. This rule applies even if the post can only be viewed by a limited audience.

Do judges look at social media?

Judges' use of social networks And, like everyone else Page 2 2 on social media, they will read and view the news, comments, photographs, etc., of people who interest them. Some judges incorporate social networks directly into their judicial activity.

How does social media affect court cases?

In the investigative and discovery periods of a criminal law case, police and prosecutors often gather supporting evidence from social media. They can use it to corroborate a witness or discount a suspect's statements. They may also find evidence of intent to commit a crime, which can lead to additional charges.

Are Facebook posts discoverable?

Courts generally have held that there can be no reasonable expectation of privacy in your profile when Facebook's homepage informs you that “Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life.” Even when you decide to limit who can see your photos or read your status updates, that information still may ...

Are private Facebook posts discoverable?

Henkin, the New York Court of Appeals ruled that “private” Facebook posts were subject to the standard rules of discovery.

Are social media accounts discoverable?

Generally, there is no privacy protections carved out in California for social media posts.

Can deleted Facebook messages be recovered with subpoena?

YOUR FACEBOOK HISTORY IS SUBJECT TO THE DISCOVERY PROCESS Facebook is aware of the potential goldmine of evidence that it holds and even provides the following direction on its Help Center: Federal law does not allow private parties to obtain account contents (ex: messages, Timeline posts, photos) using subpoenas.

Can Messenger messages be used as evidence?

Like other forms of written evidence, text messages must be authenticated in order to be admitted (see this article on admissibility by Steve Good). A defendant's name on a text message is not enough to prove authenticity without some “confirming circumstances” that demonstrate authorship (Comm.

Can social media be subpoenaed?

in response to a civil subpoena. Specifically, the Stored Communications Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq., prohibits Facebook from disclosing the contents of an account to any non-governmental entity pursuant to a subpoena or court order.”

When did the petitioner post a picture on Facebook?

On September 12, 2014, in a New York child support proceeding, the court noted that the petitioner had, as recently as July 2014, posted photos that had been “liked” by the respondent, thus showing that the account is actively used by her. Since this was the only means by which the petitioner was able to locate the respondent, the Court allowed service via Facebook.

What is the FTC case?

The FTC alleged that the corporate and individual defendants were part of a scheme to defraud American consumers with fixes to non-existent issues with their computers.

When was service by email appropriate?

The court first noted that service by email was appropriate, based on the 2002 Ninth Circuit holding, since the defendants ran an Internet-based business, frequently used their emails for business purposes, and used their email to set up merchandising and advertising accounts.

Is social media service problematic?

Initially, service of a domestic individual by social media was more problematic. For example, in a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York against Chase Bank USA, N.A., Lorri Fortunato alleged, among other claims, that the bank violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Can the FTC serve a defendant via email?

Since the defendants ran an online business, communicated with customers via email, had their Facebook profiles registered with their email addresses, and advertised their businesses on Facebook, the court had no difficulty allowing the FTC to serve the defendants via Facebook as well as by email.

Avoid Online Missteps

Lawyers practicing in the digital age have to pay particular heed to avoiding such online missteps.

Standards for Using Online Resources

A number of jurisdictions around the country have already begun holding attorneys to a higher standard when it comes to making use of online resources, including demonstrating due diligence, researching prospective jurors and even locating and using exculpatory evidence in criminal cases. 8See, e.g., Cannedy v. Adams, 706 F.3d 1148 (9th Cir.

Duty to Preserve Information

In addition to using social networking sites for gathering information, the ethical duty to preserve information is another concern in the age of Facebook and Twitter.

Poor Judgment Plagues Lawyers

Unfortunately, poor judgment plagues lawyers just like anybody else, and social networking sites have provided a wider audience than ever for such lapses.

Questions Remain

Many ethical questions regarding an attorney’s use of social networking remain to be explored.

Who is the attorney for Facebook?

According to Law360, Facebook attorney Orin Snyder made the comment while defending the company against a class-action lawsuit over the Cambridge Analytica scandal. “There is no invasion of privacy at all, because there is no privacy,” Snyder said.

Who is the judge for Facebook?

Although Snyder said that the social media site would be focusing more on privacy in the future, U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria reportedly pushed back on Facebook’s argument.

Is Facebook a town square?

In an attempt to have the lawsuit thrown out, Snyder further claimed that Facebook was nothing more than a “digital town square” where users voluntarily give up their private information. “You have to closely guard something to have a reasonable expectation of privacy,” Snyder added.

Is Facebook a privacy focused platform?

The Daily Dot reached out to Facebook for comment but did not receive a reply. Synder’s statement came just hours before Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told company shareholders during their annual meeting Thursday that Facebook would become a “privacy-focused social platform.”.

Why do people use Facebook?

Many businesses are using Facebook because of the possibility of building strong relationships with their customers and clients.

Why is Facebook the best platform for advertising?

Facebook is the leading social media site in the entire world. It is the easiest way of advertising because it has no costs and the procedure is easy and convenient. All you have to do is create an account for a person or an entity and you could advertise all you want. Also majority of the people have created an account on it and it is the platform great for advertising. It is also convenient for the market to view your advertisements since they only have to open their Facebook app in either mobile phone or computer.

What to do if your lawyer doubts you?

Tell the Truth. If your lawyer doubts you in the consultation, or doesn't think you have a case, while that may change over time, getting over an initial disbelief is very hard. You have to prove your case. Your attorney is not your witness. They are your advocate - but you are responsible for coming up with proof.

Why do people hire lawyers?

Most people hired attorneys because they don't want to sit in court. Well, truth be told, neither do I. The difference between lawyer and client is that the lawyer expects it to take a long time and understands. The client typically thinks it's unjustified. So, your hard truth is that each case takes time. Be patient.

Why is credibility important in court?

Credibility is one of the most important things in this world - and most important in a courtroom. If you care enough only to wear sweats to the courthouse, then the judge will see that you don't care, and that will be reflected in their desire to help you, listen to you, and decide in your favor. Step it up.

What to say when a judge can see your boobs?

If the judge can see your boobs, he's not listening to your story. If I can see your boobs, then I know you didn't care enough about yourself to talk to an attorney. Dress like you are going to church. Credibility is one of the most important things in this world - and most important in a courtroom.

What happens if you don't pay your lawyer?

If you don't pay your lawyer on the day of trial, or however you have agreed to, then while he or she may be obligated by other ethical duties to do his/her best, they won't be motivated by sympathy for you, and it will show in court.

What to do if no one can confirm a story is true?

If no one can confirm that the story is true, you will at least need something external, such as a hard copy document, to prove your case. Be prepared.

Can a lawyer take your money?

While lawyers can certainly take your money and your time and we can file a case that will be very hard to win, if you don't care enough about your life to get a contract, the judge is not very likely to be on your side. At least, not automatically. Oral contracts are extremely hard to prove. What are the terms.

Service of Process on Foreign Defendants Via Social Media

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The early cases concerned service of process on foreign defendants. For example, in a case decided in 2013, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought to serve the defendants, located in India, via email and Facebook. The FTC alleged that the corporate and individual defendants were part of a scheme to defraud American …
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Service of Process on Domestic Defendants Via Social Media

  • Initially, service of a domestic individual by social media was more problematic. For example, in a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York against Chase Bank USA, N.A., Lorri Fortunato alleged, among other claims, that the bank violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act. She believed that another person (quite possibly her estranged daughter, Nicole Fortunato) “fraudulently opened …
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A New Trend?

  • On September 12, 2014, in a New York child support proceeding, the court noted that the petitioner had, as recently as July 2014, posted photos that had been “liked” by the respondent, thus showing that the account is actively used by her. Since this was the only means by which the petitioner was able to locate the respondent, the Court allowed service via Facebook. On March …
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Conclusion

  • In the past two years, the courts have had difficulty deciding whether service of process via social media is proper. However, savvy lawyers will continue to push the envelope, and use whatever means necessary to get a defendant served within the boundaries of due process. It remains to be seen whether a litigant can serve a party defendant via his or her WordPress blog, or via an Insta…
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