Is It Actually Legal To Record A Conversation In Texas?
I'm just like every other slightly unhinged 33-year-old woman and I LOVE watching true crime documentaries. I'm always switching between various streaming channels in an effort to catch all of the new episodes of each series. I especially love listening to conversations in which a suspect has no idea they are being recorded. Sometimes, they really spill the beans.
After the last episode I watched, I started wondering if there was anything illegal about recording a conversation in Texas. Can someone simply record anything they want to? Or, does it have to be in direct relation to a criminal investigation? Let's find out what Texas law has to say about it.
So, is it legal to record a conversation in Texas?
The short answer is 'yes'...but the long answer is 'no'...
According to Texas.gov, Texas follows the "one-party consent" rule when it comes to recording conversations. If at least one person involved in the convo consents to it being recorded, then you are good to go. However, it is strictly forbidden to wiretap a conversation between two people that have no idea they are being recorded. These rules change when someone is subject to monitoring during a phone call with an inmate in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, or the exchange that occurs during phone call visitations at an actual prison. That's why you'll hear an automated message reminding you before the call begins that it might be recorded. You are consenting, by default, during conversations such as these.
Just a little something to think about!
If you're interested in reading about other Texas laws, I love to talk about them! Check out a weird one I covered the other day by clicking this link.
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