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Rapper Flo Rida served damages claim via Facebook
Nick Tabakoff
From:The Daily Telegraph
May 02, 201212:00AM
<span style="font-weight: bold">Rapper Flo Rida has made legal history. </span>
US rapper Flo Rida has made legal history after being served with a legal damages claim that could top $100,000 - via Facebook.
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The highly unorthodox means of serving the claim came after he failed at the last minute to show up at the Fat as Butter music festival in Newcastle in October, despite receiving a $55,000 fee.
Flo Rida was to have been one of its headline acts.
The NSW District Court last month imposed an interim order to freeze any assets that Flo Rida owned in Australia, up to the value of $80,000.
The rapper is yet to respond to the claims in any form.
As a result, festival promoters Mothership Music obtained permission from the District Court for a ''substituted service'' order.
This means Mothership was yesterday able to bypass the normal requirement to serve the lawsuit in person, and instead serve it via Facebook.
Mothership is now believed to be seeking additional compensation for damage to the festival's reputation and other claims, which could take the total claim well over $100,000.
The judge had been provided with evidence by Mothership's lawyers, Neville & Hourn Legal, that such a claim would be brought to the rapper's attention via Facebook, because he was a frequent social media user.
Yesterday's claim was subsequently ''messaged'' to Flo Rida (real name Tramar Dillard) via a link on his official Facebook page.
The message said in part that Mothership was ''seeking damages for breach of contract . . . (for) your non-appearance on 22 October 2011 at the 'Fat as Butter' Concert''.
It went on to warn the rapper: ''If you do not file a defence to these proceedings within 28 days of service, the Court may enter judgment against you without any further notice to you.''
Neville & Hourn principal Matthew Hourn said attempts were made to serve Flo Rida during his recent visit to Australia for the Logies.
''Our process server tried arranging meetings with his agents and attended appearances in Melbourne - but due to his large entourage and security, we were unable to serve him personally,'' he said.
''When we attempted to serve him on one appearance in Melbourne, he was escorted quickly into one of two black mini-vans, before service could be completed.''
Mr Hourn said he believed the means of serving the lawsuit was a first for a civil case in NSW.
''Sometimes you have to think outside the box in litigation,'' he said.
He confirmed the firm was likely to claim ''more than $100,000'' as the case dragged on.
The rapper had been due on stage shortly after 5pm at the October 22 event.
Mothership's boss Brent Lean claimed last year Flo Rida's manager had called organisers two hours before the show to say he would not be making it.