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Australian Court Lets Lawyer Serve Papers Via Facebook

a302b writes "A Canberra lawyer has been permitted to serve legal documents via Facebook for a couple who defaulted on a loan. He claims he needed to do this because he was unable to track them down to a physical address. At what point does our online presence become 'real?' And what opportunities are available for fraud, if social networking sites are considered legal representations of ourselves, even when they can be anonymously created under any name?"

12 of 204 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Somewhat reasonable by danpat · · Score: 2, Funny

    I also am not a lawyer, but my housemate is, and he agrees with you.

  2. Re:WTF -- this is OLD news by hardcorejon · · Score: 4, Funny

    ah, if only there were a "troll but true" comment rating.

  3. Re:Somewhat reasonable by DuranDuran · · Score: 3, Funny

    IANALBMHI?

    --
    "You can justify anything by putting it in quotes, adding a famous name and making it a sig" - Albert Einstein
  4. Re:But.... by z-j-y · · Score: 5, Funny

    some time traveler screwed it up.

  5. Re:But.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I used to live next door to a guy with the same first name and last name as my self, and it turns out my current girlfriend was flatting with him at the time as well. Much hilarity ensued when we found out.

  6. text of summons by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    U R SERVED!! U lamers 2 appear B4 judge Dec 19 700 hrs re home loan U "forgot" 2 repay.

    G'day.

  7. Re:Somewhat reasonable by Zwicky · · Score: 2, Funny

    If I ever get sued for anything I am so working that line into my defense.

    --
    "Three eyes are better than one" -- Lieutenant Columbo
  8. No worries. by sootman · · Score: 5, Funny

    They can just pay back the loan with WoW gold.

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  9. Re:Facebook no different to email. by syousef · · Score: 3, Funny

    One crappy, lossy, non-guaranteed electronic communications medium vs another.

    Email version:
    Deposition Subpoena to Testify
    GREETINGS: YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED TO SUBPOENA AND SUMMON THE FOLLOWING WITNESS:
    John Doe of 53 Sanity Street SanesVillie

    Facebook version
    lolz. Hey John. U been summ'd to Court. cu there. haha. sucker!

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  10. Re:But.... by T+Murphy · · Score: 4, Funny

    every other avenue had been attempted

    Lawyer: They won't be served by any other means.
    Judge: Did you try carrier pigeons? Ducks using semaphore? Pelting their door with artichokes to form Morse code? Cucumbers too?
    Lawyer: Yes, we tried all that- including the singing lemurs. Now, can we please just serve them on facebook?
    Judge: Blast! I was sure the lemurs would work. Well, we haven't even started with the ones involving mimes... don't start with those crazy ideas of yours just yet!

  11. Re:But.... by Dan541 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Am I the only one annoyed by gender-ambiguous names?

    The worse is with gender-ambiguous voices over the phone. I'm sure I have upset many people over the years.

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  12. Re:But.... by szquirrel · · Score: 4, Funny

    When we sat down together it turned out we had the same first and last names, our fathers and mothers had the same first and last names and the same middle initials...

    After all if two people whose families have never met face to face could have so much in common in a little place like AR...

    ...can't think... too many jokes... all trying to get out at once...

    --
    Never approach a vast undertaking with a half-vast plan.