Laurenterama
Junior Member
Is it legal to repost online someone's mugshot?
First, what is the name of your state, Laurenterama?Is it legal to repost online someone's mugshot?
Sometimes, sometimes not. In itself it isn't illegal in most cases. The concern would be if there are any copyright issues involved. Apparently it varies across the country whether the images are in the public domain or the images are covered by copyright protections.Is it legal to repost online someone's mugshot?
The legal issue is not one of copyrights but one of privacy rights, when mug shot cases have reached the court level.Sometimes, sometimes not. In itself it isn't illegal in most cases. The concern would be if there are any copyright issues involved. Apparently it varies across the country whether the images are in the public domain or the images are covered by copyright protections.
can you point to something that addresses the lack of a copyright issue? From what i have read, unless applicable state law relinquishes claims of copyright ownership of mugshots, it is up to the discretion of the owner to relinquish or assert a claim of ownership.The legal issue is not one of copyrights but one of privacy rights, when mug shot cases have reached the court level.
But the state name really matters in this. The publication of mug shots can violate the laws of various states.
That said, I am thinking this is not a legal ethics/lawyer malpractice question.
I prefer to wait for the state name before addressing any of this. The states have varied widely in how they view mug shots, their publication, and the rights that are held.can you point to something that addresses the lack of a copyright issue? From what i have read, unless applicable state law relinquishes claims of copyright ownership of mugshots, it is up to the discretion of the owner to relinquish or assert a claim of ownership.
As to being illegal to publish mugshots; the only thing I have found so far are laws prohibiting publishing them and demanding payment to take them down.