When the Pokeball isn't in your Court

We get it, you want to be the very best, like no one ever was. However, it is important to keep in mind that your virtual reality gaming can have some very real life consequences. So when you’re on the hunt for that rare Pokemon, here are a few tips to keep you out of trouble.

Courting trouble:

As an aspiring Pokemon Trainer it is important for you to have a firm knowledge of the places you need to be; where the best Pokestops are, the location of lures and that rogue Charmander. The Court houses are not one of these places and should therefore be avoided on the journey to becoming a Pokemon Master.

In a statement issued by the NSW Department of Justice on its Facebook Page:

GOING TO COURT IS NOT A GAME: POKÉMON GO TRAINERS SHOULD LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR DIGITAL CRITTERS.

Attention budding Pokémon trainers: you do not need to step inside a Courthouse to find Pokémon. A reminder that the use of recording devices in NSW Courts is prohibited under the Court security act 2005 – section 9 – and carries a $22,000 fine or imprisonment for 12 months (or both). Stay safe and catch 'em all!

While the statement may be a light-hearted jibe, the consequences of its infringement is anything but.

Pokémon Hunting and Driving

Not to be outdone, the NSW Police twitter account further added

What do you get when you mix driving and Pokémon Go? $325 and four demerit points"

As amusing as this exchange may be to the casual observer, it is a testament to fact that although the content of Pokémon Go may be fictional, the consequences of in contravention of the law is not. There is value in maintaining the distinction between fiction and reality, otherwise you may find yourself on the inside of a not so virtual prison.

Remember, at the end of the day, the message is to be safe and ‘catch ‘em all’.

If you find yourself in a not-so-virtual prison as a result of playing Pokémon Go please do not hesitate to contact Freedman & Gopalan Solicitors on 02 8917 8700.