An Ontario Superior Court Justice has allowed the use of
Facebook as a valid method for the service of court documents. In a
paternity suit where the mother could not find the father except on
Facebook, Justice Cheryl Robertson allowed the mother to serve the
father in a message over Facebook. Justice Robertson believes that
in today's connected world, electronic service is the next
logical step for the delivery of documents which may otherwise be
undeliverable.
Since the Rules of Civil Procedure allow for substituted service
when regular service is impractical, Justice Robertson argues that
electronic means of service provide a practical solution. E-service
is even more useful in the context of family law cases where
litigants may be trying to avoid being found in anticipation of
child support claims. In a paper she presented earlier this month,
Justice Robertson points out that e-service has several advantages
over regular service including speed and cost
