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Social media can be an excellent way to stay in touch with friends and family, share experiences and keep up-to-date on current events. Social media activity may also serve as evidence in criminal proceedings, so anyone facing DUI charges must understand how their prior social media activity could potentially bolster or weaken their case.
Even though many may view social media as innocuous, criminal prosecutors can use its posts, videos and photos against an accused person when building their case against them. Therefore it’s wise to refrain from posting anything harmful on Facebook, Twitter or TikTok that might damage their case.
An inappropriate post on social media can damage both your reputation and credibility, making it more challenging to mount an effective defense. Therefore, it is always advisable to consult with a criminal defense lawyer before posting information online; in DUI cases this attorney can ensure that digital evidence presented does not jeopardize your chances for a positive result.
Social Media in DUI Cases
Criminal defense attorneys often advise their clients not to discuss a case on social media; however, with online communication making this advice harder to abide by than ever.
Police officers and prosecutors are highly adept at using social media as evidence against an accused individual, often building strong cases by scrutinizing posts, videos and photos available through social media accounts whose privacy settings restrict who can view them. A judge may issue a search warrant against these accounts if there is probable cause that evidence of crime exists within.
Content found on social media accounts of individuals can be used in court proceedings to support an alibi, corroborate a witness testimony, or refute inconsistent statements made by defendants. Furthermore, some social media posts include timestamps and locations which can help establish timelines of crimes committed by defendants.
At first, it may be tempting to delete incriminating social media posts following a DUI arrest, but doing so could actually hurt your case. Authorities could subpoena deleted content for subpoena by the courts, with your attempt at deletion potentially seen as evidence destruction and facing additional legal ramifications. It’s wiser to consult a knowledgeable Atlanta DUI lawyer before deleting anything from social media accounts; their advice can explain any repercussions to deleted posts and provide advice on appropriate online behavior. For this reason, please reach out Alpharetta office so we may assist clients throughout Atlanta area – we look forward to meeting you!
