Discovery 101 for Lawyers: 'Open Browser. Click. Gasp. Print.'
Once upon a time, about five years ago, finding evidence to disprove an individual’s court testimony wasn’t easy.
Today, all it often takes is a few minutes spent at the computer: “Open browser. Click. Gasp. Print,” as the St. Petersburg Times puts it.
Searching all significant names, starting on Facebook, is a must-do in every case, no exceptions, family law attorney Catherine Real of Tampa tells the newspaper.
Among a treasure trove of evidentiary finds via social networking sites the newspaper cites, one mom posted photos of her children during a custody battle, eliciting a comment from a friend that they didn’t look much like her husband. Her response: That’s because they’re not his.
Related earlier coverage:
ABA Journal: “Web 2.Uh-oh”
ABAJournal.com: “Facebook Is ‘Unrivaled Leader’ for Online Divorce Evidence, Survey Says”
ABAJournal.com: “Plaintiff Must Provide Access to ‘Private’ Facebook & MySpace Pages, Judge Rules”
