Twitter Evidence Gains Court Acceptance
(How Twitter Is Used in Legal Proceedings)
NEW YORK, NY — Lawyers increasingly use Twitter content in legal cases. Courts now accept tweets as evidence under certain conditions. Lawyers gather tweets for many types of cases. These include defamation lawsuits, intellectual property disputes, and criminal investigations.
Tweets can reveal a person’s location, thoughts, or activities. This information is valuable evidence. Lawyers also search Twitter to learn about potential jurors. Jurors’ public posts might show bias. This helps lawyers choose fair jurors.
Serving legal documents via Twitter is also possible. Some courts allow it when other methods fail. The person must be active on Twitter. The court order must specify the Twitter handle. The document must be sent as a direct message or public tweet. This method is still new. It is not common everywhere.
Preserving tweets is crucial. Tweets can be deleted. Lawyers use special tools to capture and save tweets. They capture the exact content and date. This creates a reliable record for court. Judges decide if Twitter evidence is admissible. They check its relevance and authenticity. They ensure it is not hearsay or faked.
(How Twitter Is Used in Legal Proceedings)
Law firms train staff on social media evidence collection. They follow strict rules to avoid ethical problems. They must not misrepresent themselves online. Getting evidence properly is vital. Mistakes can ruin a case. Twitter data plays a growing role in modern law. Its use requires careful handling.