Can I Use Recordings Of My Youngsters As Proof In My Household Legislation Case?

In excessive battle parenting instances, there’s typically the temptation to incorporate video or audio recordings of the youngsters or exchanges with the opposite guardian.  It’s comprehensible why somebody may need to do that whether or not it’s to guard themselves, gather proof or show some extent.

Normally when folks hear in regards to the admissibility of secret (surreptitious) recordings, it’s within the context of legal legislation. There are protections towards the police utilizing wiretaps or different methods that invade an individual’s affordable expectation of privateness.

Nonetheless, in household instances, that are civil proceedings quite than legal proceedings, there are totally different concerns for admissibility of secret recordings.

What does the court docket take into account earlier than admitting a secret recording?

Dad and mom will typically ask us if recordings can be utilized in court docket, in different phrases are the recordings admissible as proof?

The general concern is the perfect curiosity of the kid, so any proof that goes to the perfect pursuits of the youngsters is mostly thought-about by the court docket.

There are 4 components to contemplate admitting secret recording in household legislation instances:

Is the data related?

Relevance refers as to if the proof can be utilized to show or disprove a component of the case. For instance, if one guardian is attempting to show that the opposite guardian yells on the youngsters, a recoding of that parenting yelling on the youngsters could be related.

Are the identities of the events recorded identified?

For recordings to be admissible, the id of the folks on the recording should be established.

Is the recording reliable?

The recoding itself should be reliable, within the sense that it has not been altered or manipulated.

Does the proof outweigh the prejudicial impact?

The proof (or probative worth in lawyer communicate) refers to proof that’s helpful in proving one thing, whereas prejudicial refers to proof that would wrongly affect the courts.

To take the instance of a recording of 1 guardian yelling at their baby, the proof may very well be prejudicial as a result of it makes the guardian look unhealthy in that one occasion and may lack probative worth because it doesn’t assist the court docket decide the general subject of what parenting preparations are in the perfect curiosity of the kid.

As soon as the decide decides to confess the recording, the decide then decides how a lot weight to provide the proof. Weight refers to how a lot significance the decide provides the proof, or how a lot the court docket depends on the proof.

Usually talking, courts are prepared to confess secret recordings in household legislation case, however give the proof little or no weight.

Why are secret recordings in household legislation proceedings discouraged?

As said by Justice Ball in K.W.K. v. V.L.C. 2022 BCSC 1321:

Surreptitious recordings in household proceedings cut back belief, diminish the power of events to work collectively, improve battle and thwart the restructuring of household relationships. Such outcomes usually are not in the perfect pursuits of kids and wouldn’t advance the optimistic aims of household legislation.

Virtually with out exception, in each case the place a guardian makes surreptitious recording of the opposite guardian or youngsters to make use of as proof in trial, the court docket guidelines towards the guardian that submits that proof on parenting points.

There are additionally instances the place mother and father document their youngsters in an effort to elicit their views on parenting preparations, their views of the opposite guardian, or concerning a particular incident. These recordings are additionally normally admitted into proof, however are discouraged and infrequently end result within the court docket ruling towards the guardian who made the recording.

What are the perfect pursuits of the youngsters in a excessive battle household legislation matter?

It’s by no means in the perfect curiosity of the kid to extend battle between the mother and father, or contain the youngsters straight in litigation. When mother and father grow to be too centered on “successful” the litigation, then can lose sight of the perfect pursuits of the youngsters, which undermines their place.

The court docket does have to contemplate the views of the kid when acceptable, however these views should be assessed correctly as to make sure there isn’t a affect from the mother and father, normally by means of a views of the kid report, of a full part 211 report, which incorporates the views of the kid and a parenting capability evaluation.

We perceive the temptation to make secret recordings of your youngsters or accomplice.  Whether or not it’s to acquire proof, show your level or shield your self.  Nonetheless making a secret recording can typically backfire.  It’s greatest to speak to knowledgeable earlier than you consider going this route.

In case you’re coping with a excessive battle household legislation case you want attorneys who’ve the expertise essential to information you in the fitting course.  Contact our household legislation attorneys at 604-974-9529 or click on right here for an preliminary session to study extra in regards to the course of and your rights.