Abstract
This article gives a comprehensive overview of what social media are, why social media are important in society and the courts, how social media can be used effectively, what social media platforms are well-suited to the courts, what problems can arise, and how to proactively deal with such problems. In the early years of social media use in the courts there was a lot of skepticism. As we have gained experience most problems have been shown to be less severe or have been solved. Meanwhile, many usage advantages have become apparent. Research in the United States has shown that judges are increasingly supporting social media use by themselves and their courts, and are less concerned about problems and compromising ethics.The courts hold a special place in government as impartial arbiters of legal disputes. We, as court leaders, must fulfill the public’s trust in us to achieve the highest level of service while upholding the rule of law. As we have seen, social media are excellent tools to make this a reality—the challenge is to securely and effectively leverage these tools in the court setting.
Highlights
Overheard at a recent court conference: Court Administrator 1: “I can’t wait to have my court start using social media! Think of all the great things we can do to engage citizens and provide better service.”Court Administrator 2: “What a terrible idea! Social media are just another fad that will expose your court to hackers, ethical problems, and be a big drain on resources.”Who is right here? both of these administrators have good points
In 2011 it was noted in this Journal that the CCJE (Conseil Consultatif de Juges Européens /Consultative Council of European Judges) “...welcomes IT as a means to improve the
This article has given a comprehensive overview of what social media are, why social media are important in society and the courts, how social media can be used effectively, what social media platforms are well-suited to the courts, what problems can arise, and how to proactively deal with such problems
Summary
Overheard at a recent court conference: Court Administrator 1: “I can’t wait to have my court start using social media! Think of all the great things we can do to engage citizens and provide better service.”. The public increasingly has a DIY (“do it yourself”) approach to life.[25] At least in the United States courts, DIY may be reflected, at least in part, in the high rates of self-represented (pro se) litigants in a wide range of case types These include domestic relations/divorce (it is estimated that over 60% of such cases have at least one party who is self-represented), landlord-tenant, petty offense, and personal bankruptcy cases.[26] Many courts in the U.S have established successful “self-help centers” in response to “Social Networking Reaches Nearly One in Four Around the World,” eMarketer, June 2013; http://www.emarketer.com/Articles/Print.aspx?R=1009976. The widespread use of, and expectations regarding, mobile computing and social media by the public make it increasingly imperative that courts pay attention to these phenomena, and take advantage of social media opportunities to better meet the needs of the consumers of court services (litigants, attorneys, witnesses, jurors, news media, other government agencies, etc.) All of this can be seen as an extension of the ongoing conversion to electronic filing and access to court records. The CCPIO observed that there are “three characteristics of new media that contrast sharply with basic characteristics of the judiciary.”
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