Legal papers served on Facebook

An Australian couple have been served legal documents via Facebook after they failed to turn up in court.

Mark McCormack, a lawyer in Canberra, persuaded a judge to allow him to contact the couple after all other attempts to reach them had failed.

The couple have reportedly defaulted on repayments of a loan of over AUS$100,000 (£44,000).

It is believed to be the first instance of using the social-networking website in this way.

McCormack told the court that he resorted to Facebook after attempts to contact the couple by email and at their home address had been unsuccessful.

The woman's page was listed on the world's most-popular social-networking website and her partner's details were listed as one of her 'friends'.

The judge granted McCormack's request to serve the papers via Facebook, but stipulated that they be sent via the site's email function rather than posted on the 'wall' so that online visitors could not view the contents.

"It's somewhat novel, however we do see it as a valid method of bringing the matter to the attention of a defendant," McCormack said.

Earlier this month, an Australian restaurateur used Facebook to successfully track down a group of customers who fled his establishment without paying.

www.facebook.com

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