NSW Printing Phone Text Messages as Evidence?

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Old Pop

Well-Known Member
29 December 2016
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I've read a reply in one of the post's here - I forget which one, where someone wrote to print any relevant message(s) as evidence, because a magistrate/judge is not going to sit there and scroll through someone's phone....makes sense to me.

I've got an Android phone that by default, doesn't let you save your text messages somewhere else, or print them. I've found a (computer) program that'll allow me to print and backup my messages off the phone. I have a heap of text messages from and to my son's ex that shows she has told many lies to the Family Court.

The problem is though, that the last couple of days, my phone has erratically been shutting itself off. If I manage to back up and print a copy of these messages, but then my phone completely dies, are these printed copies legal, without having the phone showing the original messages?

Do I also need to print each and every individual message? Parts of the 'conversation' spanning over many months are irrelevant eg: I'd written something like....I just gave junior a splash in the pool. Is it acceptable to delete that type of thing from the messages 'conversation'
 
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Migz

Well-Known Member
20 November 2016
325
43
719
If you have an Android phone. and wifi at home... then do this;

1. Download Backuptrans Android SMS Transfer, Transfer SMS for Android to your PC

2. Download it to your phone from the Playstore

3. Follow the instructions on connecting your phone to the PC via WIFI in the house

4. Download all the texts from your phone painlessly

5. This software on your PC then allows you to, just bring up the one persons texts.

6. You can print off only the parts you require for Annexures of your affidavit

Cheers
 
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Rod

Lawyer
LawConnect (LawTap) Verified
27 May 2014
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Is it acceptable to delete that type of thing from the messages 'conversation'

Yes, only show relevant texts in your affidavit. However take the whole lot to court anyway (3 copies) so if the other party says the ones you have put into your affidavit are out of context you can refute that by showing the entire conversation.
 

Weigela

Active Member
11 February 2017
10
4
34
I have found in court it is more 'believable' and in your favour to print a screenshot of a text message. It shows an actual snapshot of your phone and the contents of the message that can't be disputed/manipulated. It has been successful for me. Simply save the screenshot to your sd card in your phone and print out at your leisure with a USB.
 
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