Legal & Ethics Flashcards
6 cards from real Private Investigator Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Legal & Ethics flashcards as text
In most US states, what is required before a person can legally work as a private investigator?
Answer: A state-issued PI license
Most US states require private investigators to obtain a state-issued license, which typically involves background checks, experience requirements, and an exam.
Which federal law prohibits the unauthorized interception of electronic communications?
Answer: Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA)
The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) prohibits the intentional interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications without authorization.
What is 'informed consent' in the context of a PI conducting recorded interviews?
Answer: Notifying and gaining agreement from a party before recording a conversation where required by law
Informed consent means notifying the other party to a conversation that it is being recorded, as required in all-party consent (two-party) states.
Which of the following is an example of an ethical violation by a private investigator?
Answer: Misrepresenting oneself as a law enforcement officer to obtain information
Impersonating a law enforcement officer is both an ethical violation and a criminal act in virtually all US jurisdictions.
What does the legal concept of 'reasonable expectation of privacy' mean for PI work?
Answer: People in public places generally cannot claim privacy from observation
When a person is in a public space, they have a reduced reasonable expectation of privacy, meaning observation and photography are generally lawful.
Which of the following actions could expose a PI to civil liability for invasion of privacy?
Answer: Covertly photographing a subject inside their home through a window
Photographing a person inside their private home without consent constitutes intrusion upon seclusion, a recognized invasion of privacy tort.