In September, 2020 the Law Office of Rachel Li, PLLC, and attorney Rachel Li were targeted with falsified negative reviews, erroneous and violent accusations, including threats of harm to her person, her family, her business and her reputation. This situation arose from a contentious Family Law case where discussions of the case went viral across social media.
Rachel Li served as an Amicus Attorney appointed by the Court in the case. She was discharged (at her request) from that role because she fulfilled all of the duties requested of her by the Court. An Amicus Attorney is not the attorney representing either parent in a dispute. An Amicus is appointed by the court to investigate the case and represent the best interest of the child or children. The appointment of an Amicus Attorney is a routine practice that serves the interest of justice.
The threats and inaccuracies promoted online were not statements made by Rachel Li nor by any agent of the Law Office of Rachel Li.
Often in this age of social media and viral communications, statements and videos presented online can mislead or attribute words or actions out of context. Persons made statements on social media that were false and they intend that others be misled by those false statements. Such is the nature of social media—it can cause a firestorm when people believe the false information or assume that something that they have seen in a video or other record is accurate or is presented in the proper context. Videos and statements about almost everything in the world can be manipulated by showing only the parts that the presenter wishes other persons on social media to see. Essentially, viewers can be presented with half (or less) of the story with the implication that it is the full story in a very misleading way. Social media can be a fine thing, but it is also a powerful tool that can be misused by the unscrupulous. We all have to be responsible consumers of what we see and hear—and not jump to false conclusions.
The Law Office of Rachel Li encourages everyone viewing social media postings on this matter, or future similar situations and the elements they contain, to delay making judgments until all of the facts are made known through the court process. As with every court proceeding, all relevant evidence is carefully considered by the court and subject to the Rules of Evidence. The Rules of Evidence have been carefully designed over many years to try to distinguish between what is false and what is true. While any justice system can be imperfect, it is the system that we have and it serves our society well. We encourage everyone to respect its orderly processes and not substitute their judgment for what the admissible evidence may or may not show in the end.
