Denham to call for new guidelines on using social media in court

The outgoing Chief Justice of Ireland, Mrs Justice Susan Denham, will distribute a discussion document later this week on the use of social media during court proceedings.

The top judge is expected to request the drafting of new guidelines on the matter.

Her intervention follows widespread discussion in the public sphere about the role of social media in the high-profile Jobstown trial, which prompted calls for stricter contempt laws to be introduced in Ireland.

For example, solicitor and Fine Gael TD Josepha Madigan announced plans for a private member’s bill that would make it a statutory offence to comment on an ongoing criminal trial.

Those calls were largely rebuffed by legal experts, including the executive director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL).

Speaking at the launch of the Courts Service’s annual report, Mrs Justice Denham said: “The courts do not operate in isolation. It is essential that decisions of the courts are communicated widely.

“The advent of social media a decade ago caused a revolution in how we communicate. It remains a great tool for the mass dissemination of information.

“However, concerns over social media are widespread and real. There are genuine concerns over the dissemination of false claims which damage social debate, learning, and understanding.”