Lay Advisers in Family law Settings: The Role and Quality of Advice Provided on Social media

Abstract

The study explores the quality of advice offered by lay advisers on social media groups and online forums. The focus is on the online advice provision in relation to child-related cases, which are part of private or public family law proceedings in the context of England and Wales. Since many addressees of such advice are self-represented litigants, it is crucial to understand what kind of support is offered by law advisers, whose professional motivation or level of expertise are underexplored. By drawing on content analysis and discourse analysis, the study reflects on the substantive content and linguistic framing of the advice offered online. The article contextualises the role of lay advisers in light of (1) the challenges self-represented litigants experience when accessing the justice system and (2) the growing popularity of using online resources and social platforms for obtaining legal information and advice.