Communications & Media

The Freedom of Information Act gives citizens the power to gain access to almost all public records. The Act has been a powerful tool for journalists or just curious citizens since its inception...

How to get cheap lawyers is a question asked more and more often in these trying economic times. In this case, cheap is a relative term. Lawyers go to school for at least 7 to 8 years, first for...

Junk mail is both annoying and usually pointless, although many people don't know that they don't have to receive it. There are in fact several easy ways of reducing the amount of junk mail that...

Harassing cell phone calls can be annoying and frightening. Unlike traditional landlines, you cannot block incoming calls on a cell phone. Fortunately, as of 2009 there are 44 states with laws...

When you use another photographer's work, it is not only proper etiquette but also your legal duty to request photo permission. Photographs are protected by copyright laws, just like other works...

Good politicians look to the public and listen to what they say. Writing a letter to a politician about a subject you are strong on can make a big difference. Most politicians do take time out...

Adding copyright encryption to a DVD requires the use of proprietary authoring software. The primary reason for adding protection to a disc is to make it more difficult for people to copy it...

Receiving unwanted phone calls from 800 numbers is one of the irritating results of having a telephone number. The phone always seems to ring right in the middle of dinner or during a favorite...

Telemarketing is brutal. I should know. I worked as an outbound telemarketer for 2 years when I was in college and I still have to shower for an extra 5 minutes each day because I feel so...

Using a cell phone blocker or cell phone jammer to block or scramble cell phone signals has become popular with many schools, hospitals, theaters, and churches. However, the use of a cell phone...

Are you getting calls from carpet cleaner, roof inspector, credit card repair services, or mortgage brokers even after you signed up for the Do Not Call service? Unfortunately, as of this date,...

Hiring a private investigator is a highly personal decision. Most people keep their decision to hire a private investigator a complete secret. This can create a catch 22 if you don't know how to...

Technology is such that users of cell phones and even land lines can specify that their phone number not be visible to the recipient of the call. This feature is heavily used by telemarketers and...

Tired of those rude and harassing phone calls? You may seem trapped and like you don't know what to do, follow these steps to stop the harassment!

Are you trying to figure out how to enter into the entertainment law profession? Do you like this specialization of law but are not sure how to get start? Follow our easy steps and you will be...

Supreme Court decisions shape our lives. Do you have fascination with the law? Concerned about activist judges? Are you interested in the Supreme Court decisions that will change the...

You know how it is, it's late at night and you hear what you think is someone creeping around right outside your windows. Or your neighbors are having yet another one of those DJ parties AGAIN. ...

Making a Freedom of Information Act request could be intimidating for an ordinary citizen. They must be in proper form and could only be mailed. Luckily organizations like the Reporters Committee...

There have been a growing number of lawsuits in which movie screenplays have been "stolen." Writers devote themselves to finishing a script or screenplay and before they can get their...

Advances in approaches to community policing of minor crimes now allow people to easily and, most importantly, safely report crimes online in the UK. Online crime reporting gives you a reliable...

If you request an online service provider to take down material that infringes on your copyright, most will ask you to provide proof of your claim. Because many copyright creators no longer...

As the Internet has grown, the level of Internet-related crime has risen as well. Even relatively everyday crimes, such as harassment, now often have an online component. Many law enforcement...

The distinction between journalism that creates liability for invasion of privacy, and journalism that is protected by state law and the First Amendment is often unclear. The best protection...

Defamation of character describes derogatory statements that result in damage to someone's reputation or subject them to contempt or ridicule. While it's not easy to prove defamation of character,...

While it might be tempting to give someone a verbal dressing down, there is a great deal that can be said for exercising restraint when it comes to giving someone a piece of your mind. If you can...

Libel, also called defamation, is the publication of a false statement about someone that embarrasses or shames them in some way. There are two legal definitions of defamation: slander and libel....

Whatever the motivation, if a sealed envelope is going to be opened it should be done right. There is no worse outcome than trying to secretly open a sealed envelope and botching the job so badly...

What does privacy mean in the electronic age? To avoid an invasion of your privacy, it's important to determine exactly what your online privacy rights are. Sometimes your emails are protected...

As technology improves and electronic eavesdropping becomes easier, it's important to know exactly what your privacy rights are, and when the government is allowed to violate them.

Millions of Americans talk on their telephones every day, taking for granted that no one is listening in on their conversation. If you are worried you might have a tap on your telephone, or you...

Search and seizure operations are used by police officers to gather evidence from a vehicle or home to be used in further judicial proceedings. In the 21st century, the home and office move from...

Digital intellectual property is the electronic fruition of an individual's intellect that holds value on the commercial market. Intellectual property in digital form includes any copyrighted...

Digital photos and other electronic arts products are protected by intellectual property laws. Intellectual property is the commercially valuable result of an individual's intellect, including...

Online text, ranging from instant messaging to academic papers, is protected by intellectual property laws. While this text may seem to be sent into an abyss of electronic messages, hackers and...

The term "spam" refers to the proliferation of unwanted and unsolicited emails in the virtual mailboxes of millions of people across the world. Spam emails are typically business...

Television shows are downloaded illegally when they are transferred from person to person online without the express written consent of the copyright owner. This problem has existed since the...