Clallam County Superior Court shuttered its official Facebook presence late yesterday afternoon, in a move that follows a brief period of increased public access to the platform.
The abrupt closure occurred just two days after earlier reporting indicated the court had ended its practice of restricting public commentary—a shift prompted by concerns over constitutional compliance.
Court leaders had previously applied selective filters to comments on official posts, allowing supportive voices—particularly those praising judicial appointments—to dominate while marginalizing dissenters. In response to formal feedback, administrators eased these controls starting mid-February, opening the page to broader participation.
Once unrestricted, public engagement surged, with residents posting critiques, especially concerning former Court Commissioner Brian Parker. Observers noted a noticeable uptick in candid feedback, some of it sharply critical, following the removal of prior limitations.
Rather than adapting to the expanded dialogue, court staff opted to withdraw from the digital space altogether. As of midday Tuesday, the court’s Facebook account returned error pages for visitors attempting to access its content.
A local resident summed up the moment with a question posted to another community page: “Did they delete their page or block me lol.”
Legal experts point out that while governments hold discretion in maintaining social media accounts, terminating one already in active use—especially after reversing course on censorship—introduces notable implications for public trust and governmental accountability.
The court’s initial strategy of curating participant access gave way, ultimately, to a full retreat from open discourse when the volume and substance of public feedback began to grow.