Scott L. Vernick was quoted in the Law360 article, "Facebook Peeks Risk Luring Attys into Jury Selection Abuses." Full text can be found in the April 28, 2014, issue, but a synopsis is noted below.
The American Bar Association recently clarified that attorneys are permitted to use Facebook and other social media sites to research potential jurors.
The information obtained from social media platforms does contain pitfalls, however, including potentially luring attorneys into voir dire violations such as excluding candidates based on race or gender.
"What lawyers have to be careful about is that the more information they have, the more risk there is that some impermissible grounds or inappropriate elements will creep into the jury selection process," said Scott Vernick, a noted privacy attorney. "So that means attorneys need to be careful in their decision making."
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
