[W126 Coupe] correction on advice I gave about VA radar

[Shayegan, Richard]

A self-describer bored law student (albeit Australian but he was bored
enough to look into US laws) says this:
---------------------------
re: our earlier contact this is what I have discovered about the US laws
on recording conversations between people. It is legal to record a
conversation between two people as long as one party is aware of it and
agrees to it in 38 states (this is apparently a state law ... same in
Australia FYI )

the following 12 states require both parties to be aware, or have other
other conditions on this sort of thing.

California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Washington.

So if you don't live in any of those states you can tape whomever you
want as long as you know and consent (selling/displaying said recordings
are another matter altogether) using them privately or in a court case
is OK though (by my limited reading).

hope this helped, just remember I am an Australian and still just a
student so don't take any of this as Gospel.
--------------------------

So, one, this would explain Bill saying I'd be getting into hot water if
I recorded a conversation, and two, in VA I'd be ok. Assuming this is
correct of course. I'll ask the American lawyer I know next time I see
him online. But either way, if it were illegal to record the
conversation everywhere, if you knew you were getting a detector ticket,
saying to the cop that you will record the conversation so that he is
aware would keep you legal and it would achieve the desired purpose
(i.e. make sure you don't get falsely charged or given some illegal
bargain).
Richard

-----Original Message-----
From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com
[mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Jim Nowak
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 12:47 AM
To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] correction on advice I gave about VA radar

Why would it be any different that a cop recording his
traffic stops.  You don't need permission in a public
place.

Jim


--- "Bill P." <bl6377 at comcast.net> wrote:

> If you have a recorder going in a public place like
> a restaurant and you are
> recording a conversation from another table, ok
> (MAYBE)!  They should have
> kept their voices down so not to be heard.  But to
> record a conversation
> between two people (Cop & Speeder) without one's
> knowledge is no good!
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com
> [mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com]On
> Behalf Of Jim Nowak
> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 21:36
> To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
> Subject: RE: [W126 Coupe] correction on advice I
> gave about VA radar
> 
> The tape recorder should not get you in any trouble
> since you are in a "public" location.  However, if
> you
> were on a phone or in a private bld, ETC, that would
> be a different story all together.  Out in the open
> on
> a public roadway, you can video or audio tape and
> there is nothing they can do.
> 
> Jim
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 

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