PLAINTIFF IN PERSONAL INJURY ACTION NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE (1) FACEBOOK PHOTOGRAPHS SHE DID NOT INTEND TO INTRODUCE AT TRIAL AND (2) INFORMATION ABOUT POST-ACCIDENT MESSAGES.
The First Department, over an extensive dissenting memorandum by Justice Saxe, reversing Supreme Court, determined plaintiff in a personal injury action was not required to turn over to the defendant post-accident photographs of herself posted on Facebook which she does not intend to introduce at trial, and, further, plaintiff was not required to provide defendant with authorizations allowing Facebook to disclose when private messages were posted by the plaintiff after the accident and how long those messages were:
CPLR 3101(a) provides that “[t]here shall be full disclosure of all matter material and necessary in the prosecution or defense of an action.” In determining whether the information sought is subject to discovery, “[t]he test is one of usefulness and reason” … . ” It is incumbent on the party seeking disclosure to demonstrate that the method of discovery sought will result in the disclosure of relevant evidence or is reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of information bearing on the claims'” … . Discovery demands are improper if they are based upon ” hypothetical speculations calculated to justify a fishing expedition'” … .
This Court has consistently applied these settled principles in the context of discovery requests seeking a party’s social media information. Forman v Henkin, 2015 NY Slip Op 09350, 1st Dept 12-17-15
MONTHLY COMPILATION INDEX ENTRIES:
CIVIL PROCEDURE (DISCLOSURE OF FACEBOOK PHOTOGRAPHS AND INFORMATION ABOUT POST-ACCIDENT MESSAGES)/DISCLOSURE (FACEBOOK PHOTOGRAPHS AND INFORMATION ABOUT POST-ACCIDENT MESSAGES)/FACEBOOK (DISCLOSURE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND INFORMATION ABOUT POST-ACCIDENT MESSAGES)