Should magistrates Twitter?
Sorry to see that the twittering magistrate in Shropshire has felt the need to resign after someone complained about his use of Twitter to send out messages about the legal system.
For me, Steve Molyneux hasn't done anything wrong - he didn't Twitter whilst sitting in court hearing a case and the only information he gave out was in the public domain. But he was doing something right - helping demystify our legal system and bring the public and the system a little bit closer together. We need more of that, not less.
Good can yet come of this - and I hope those in the judicial system will seize the opportunity to lay down some guidelines - guidelines which encourage magistrates to use Twitter and other technologies (blogs come to mind in particular) to help explain to us all how our legal system works.
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It worries me - I have a blog about my experience of volunteering, and part of that is about being a Witness Support volunteer in the Magistrates' Court. I avoid posting anything which would identify people or places. But could I also be in the firing line?