What is the name of your state?NY-
I am schedule to appear in court against a defendant who had vandalized a property of mine that worth over 4000 dollars for the damages. The detective never investigated or questioned the defendant because he said there was no witnesses and it was my word against his and that would not be enough to get a conviction. So i am not taking him to small claims court. I have several people that told me that he did it and admitted to doing it. he also had admitted to me that he did it but wont pay for it. And all of these people he admitted to doing it do not want to give a statement to the cops or for the civil suit because they all are close friends with his family and known them all there life so they do not want to get involved. My question is it illegal to record a phone conversation with one or more of the people he admitted to doing the crime to and present that as evidence in small claims and criminal court. 2) Is it enough to get a judgment in small claims court if all i have is a witness that heard him admitting he did the damage and agreed to pay for some of the damage over a nextel walkie talkie conversation, and telephone records that show that the mother of the defendant agreed to pay for the damage through a phone conversation, so much that she told me to come to her job with a copy of the estimate and a few days later backed out. The defendant also has a long rap sheet and most recently, last fryday got arrested with 15 grams of coke and is out on bail. Thank You
I am schedule to appear in court against a defendant who had vandalized a property of mine that worth over 4000 dollars for the damages. The detective never investigated or questioned the defendant because he said there was no witnesses and it was my word against his and that would not be enough to get a conviction. So i am not taking him to small claims court. I have several people that told me that he did it and admitted to doing it. he also had admitted to me that he did it but wont pay for it. And all of these people he admitted to doing it do not want to give a statement to the cops or for the civil suit because they all are close friends with his family and known them all there life so they do not want to get involved. My question is it illegal to record a phone conversation with one or more of the people he admitted to doing the crime to and present that as evidence in small claims and criminal court. 2) Is it enough to get a judgment in small claims court if all i have is a witness that heard him admitting he did the damage and agreed to pay for some of the damage over a nextel walkie talkie conversation, and telephone records that show that the mother of the defendant agreed to pay for the damage through a phone conversation, so much that she told me to come to her job with a copy of the estimate and a few days later backed out. The defendant also has a long rap sheet and most recently, last fryday got arrested with 15 grams of coke and is out on bail. Thank You