No matter how tempting, parties in a family law matter are prevented by section 121 of the Family Law Act from publishing identifying details regarding their matter. This includes using a forum such as Facebook.

In 2012 the Family Court in Brisbane dealt with a litigant who had created a website to deal specifically with his family law matter. He labelled his former wife as a “psychopath” and her lawyers as “witches and murderers”.

The Court saw the litigant’s actions as in breach of section 121 and an attempt taken to intimidate the wife’s lawyers and deny the wife her right to pursue the matter.

The Court referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police and ordered the litigant to delete the “scurrilous attacks” immediately or risk being found in contempt of Court.  A link to the case is set out below:

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/FamCA/2012/574.html