PI News Round-up - July 23, 2010

PInow.com Weekly News Round-up

July 23, 2010

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Attorney General and PI Firm Reach Agreement
BALTIMORE, MD – Donaldson Investigations LLC and Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler have reached a settlement over claims that the PI company failed to provide services after taking money from clients and after debiting some money from clients without alerting those clients first.
	Read full article and comment	Source: Legal Newsline, July 16, 2010

PInow.com Feature Article

10 Tips for Private Investigators to Conduct More Successful Surveillance

Surveillance is an art form, not a science. Unfortunately many of its best lessons are learned through trial and error. Whether you conduct insurance defense or domestic investigations, surveillance is a large part of your day as a private investigator. The following 10 suggestions will help you conduct a more cost-effective and successful surveillance.

Check out your 10 best surveillance tips here!

PIs to Check Out Illegal Billboards
LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich is reportedly poised to hire PIs to address a city-wide problem with illegal billboards. Critics, however, note that while Trutanich has been authorized to spend $325,000 for illegal billboard violations, many were hoping he would use existing contractors or employees rather than PIs.
	Read full article and comment	Source: Contra Costa Time, July 14, 2010

Court Allows Bulk DMV Record Purchases
NEW ORLEANS, LA – The 5th Circuit has dismissed six class action suits and has decided that businesses are permitted to buy and resell bulk numbers of DMV records without using them. However, businesses must intend to use these records for "permissible purposes," only under the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA).
	Read full article and comment	Source: Courthouse News Services, July 16, 2010

School District Forbids Webcam Surveillance
LOWER MERION, PA – The Lower Merion School District is contemplating creating a new policy which would ban district officials from using webcam surveillance. The decision comes after a lawsuit from one student over alleged privacy violations stemming from webcam monitoring.
	Read full article and comment	Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 20, 2010

The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade & Consumer Recent Meetings
WASHINGTON, D.C. - ISPLA will be monitoring hearings this week in Washington, D.C., regarding recently proposed legislation. The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection is expected to evaluate two bills on consumer expectations and best practices in connection with the Internet and websites.
	Read full article and comment	Source: Bruce Hulme, ISPLA Director of Government Affairs

Congress is Scheduled to Meet on Matters Concerning PIs
The Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade & Consumer Recent Meetings Two major developments are scheduled in Congress over the next few days of critical importance to private investigators and security firms.
	Read full article and comment	Source: Jimmie Mesis, LPI NCISS Legislative Chairman

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