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5 months ago in Evidence Law By Pragati

Can you record someone secretly and use it against them in court?

If I trick someone into talking and secretly record them, can that recording be admitted as evidence?

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By Vipul Answered 1 month ago

It depends entirely on where and how you did it. US law varies by state: some require one-party consent, some require two-party. Violating wiretap statutes can mean automatic exclusion. Even if legal, judges have discretion to exclude evidence obtained by "unfair trickery" if it prejudices the defendant or undermines fairness. The recording itself isn't the problem. The method, the jurisdiction, and the judge's assessment matter more.

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