HALIFAX - A 15-year-old Nova Scotia girl and her family will appeal a judge's decision to reject a request for a publication ban in a case of alleged Facebook bullying.
One of the girl's lawyers has confirmed in an interview that the social networking page, which first appeared in March under the girl's name, included a photo of her and allegedly defamatory descriptions of her appearance and sexual conduct.
The family wants a court order to find out who assembled the page.
But they also want to prevent the media from reporting on what was posted on the site and they want to protect the girl's identity to spare her further humiliation.
Last week, Justice Arthur LeBlanc of Nova Scotia Supreme Court approved a court order that would require Halifax-based Internet provider Eastlink Inc. to hand over customer information associated with the page.
However, LeBlanc rejected the family's request for a publication ban, saying the girl's lawyer, Michelle Awad, had failed to prove her client was harmed by the appearance of the now defunct site.
On Tuesday, another lawyer for the family, Jane O'Neill, confirmed they will file a notice to appeal LeBlanc's decision on the ban to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal.
In the meantime, LeBlanc agreed that the media should be prohibited from revealing the girl's identity or any details from the page.
Revealing the girl's identity now, he said, "would make the appeal for a publication ban moot."
Still, LeBlanc set a two-week deadline, saying he wants the matter dealt with quickly. His suspension of his earlier decision expires June 16.
Lawyers for two Halifax media outlets -- the Halifax Chronicle Herald and Global TV -- have argued that the prospect for further embarrassment of the girl is not enough to warrant restrictions on media coverage.
They say the courts should remain open an accountable to public scrutiny.
