Lawyers Look Up Jury Candidates On Facebook
Is it unfair to research prospective jurors on Facebook when investigations of cases also use the social network?
Lawyers look up prospective jurors on Facebook to try to find people whose interests suit the attorneys’ respective clients.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that both attorneys for both plaintiffs and defendants use the social network to research potential jury members’ possible biases. The lawyers look at what people watch on television, religious beliefs, interests and hobbies. This seems like a potential time savings compared to asking candidates about these things in person.
This strategy for juror research shouldn’t come as a huge surprise given that lawyers look at Facebook has become a primary way for attorneys to gather evidence and law enforcement officials to pursue investigations — and most people on the social network unwittingly make this fact finding so easy by not using privacy settings to shield profiles from public viewing.
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