Text messages - Landlord Forum thread 352452

Text messages by Ann (WI) on May 26, 2017 @17:20

Do text messages stand up, as evidence, in court ? If so, what do you do, when you get a new phone, and they have not been transferred or lose your phone?
I watch people court too and she always wants the text messages.

[ Reply ] [ Return to forum ]

Re: Text messages by Anonymous on May 26, 2017 @17:45	[ Reply ]

Oh please.... court TV is not court....or even a good pretend representation... it is entertainment, nothing else I have no had a judge yet accept Text. Most didn't even acknowledge the offer to show them.

Re: Text messages

Re: Text messages by Ann (Wi ) on May 26, 2017 @17:57	[ Reply ]

Puleeease! How come all the smart ass replys are anonymous?

Re: Text messages

Re: Text messages by Katiekate (New York ) on May 27, 2017 @08:29	[ Reply ]

I had only one judge in Housing court (civil court part 1) that accepted text messages. The rest just dismissed them with a wave of the hand. I do not know about small claims. The standard of evidence is different in that court. Is it much less concerned with the letter of the law compared to the higher courts.

Re: Text messages

Re: Text messages by lamac66 (ga) on May 31, 2017 @07:17	[ Reply ]

Relying on text in court for tenant/landlord disputes is a shot in the dark at best. Sometimes texts don't go thru or delayed. I know from experiences. That is why I stress to tenants to put everything in writing in addition to texts to protect themselves...when I put it in their interest they are more likely to comply. This way we both covered because I stated in the least that this is how we will verify communications after phone conversations/texts. If they call me about a maintenance issue, I acknowledge the call, tell them what will be done...and tell them to complete maintenance request form provided to them at lease signing or go on the website and fill out and print it and mail it to me...document, document, document. Not hard.