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Southern Wiretap Ruling May Affect New Yorkers
Because so many New York residents have strong ties to Florida and other southern states through second homes and relatives, New York family law attorneys should be aware that a recent decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has altered precedent concerning wiretap legality in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. The case, Glazner v. Glazner, No. 02-11799 (11th Cir. 10/16/03), involved an Alabama husband who, although he had filed for divorce, continued to live with his wife. Because he suspected her of having an affair, he put a recording device on the telephone in the family home. The wife discovered the device and later brought suit against her husband in federal court, claiming he violated her rights under the federal wiretap law by recording her telephone conversations without consent.
Until Glazner, the leading precedent on wiretapping of family telephones in Florida, Alabama and Georgia was Simpson v. Simpson, 490 F.2d 803. (Simpson did not apply to other states in the Eleventh Circuit because it was issued when Florida, Georgia and Alabama were still part of the Fifth Circuit, from which the Eleventh Circuit was formed in 1981. Fifth-Circuit decisions that predate creation of the Eleventh Circuit are binding on the Eleventh Circuit.) Simpson held that Congress, in enacting its 1968 anti-wiretap law, did not intend to prohibit family members from listening in to conversations on extension phones in the home, so absent promulgation of state law on the issue, such “eavesdropping,” was perfectly legal.
At the Glazner trial, a federal judge, relying on Simpson, ruled for the husband. In a unanimous reversal, the 11 judges of the Eleventh Circuit ruled not only that there was no marital exception to the wiretap laws, but that despite this defendant's possible reliance on Simpson, the law could be applied to him retroactively and he could be held pecuniarily liable to his now ex-wife for damages.
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models
Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.
Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge
As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.
Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator
How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.
Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising
The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.
Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality
This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.