As you may know, there is a new trial courthouse in Taunton and this newsletter will provide you with some helpful information about the courthouse.
The first thing that regulars at Taunton Court know is to avoid the elevator unless it is an emergency. There have been almost daily problems with the elevator, including people being stuck in it for long periods of time.
As most people are aware there are a lot of concerns about social media with issues of privacy and concerns about who you and your children might be “friending”. In today’s legal climate there are a lot of legal risks associated with the internet that people are not aware of. It is a fairly common practice for school resource police officers to troll social media for students who might be on YouTube, Facebook, My Space and other social media tools, to monitor their activities. In some cases they have taken out criminal complaints if what they found on the social media appears to be a crime.
I just recently had one case in which the school resource officer went as far as charging my client along with a friend of his with the eavesdropping statute for essentially taking a video of another party, supposedly without that other party’s permission. You do see charges whether it is an assault or minor in possession or other crimes that can be viewed.
In addition, it is a common practice among probation officers to look for the probationers and their friends on social media networks to see if there are any posting or pictures showing in violations of their probation. This might include minor in possession of alcohol or talking about it or marijuana or other questioning activities. I have been in court where I have seen children who have ended up being committed to DYS or the house of corrections based on what was posted on the social media networks.
Most people going through Taunton probably has seen the construction of the new courthouse. As a lawyer, I am very excited about the courthouse opening hopefully by early fall. The courthouse is supposed to contain eight courtroom including district court, juvenile court, housing court and probate and family court.
The courthouse will replace many old and impractical courts and some courts that have been moved including probate and family court which now only sits in Fall River and New Bedford. This should make it easier for the public in Taunton, Attleboro and other areas.