Privacy

A California law that makes it illegal to use an automatic dialing device to send recorded phone messages was upheld by the Supreme Court on Monday. The state law that was challenged by Orange businessman William Bland is part of the public utilities code that requires companies making phone solicitations to have a live person on the line. If a resident consents, a solicitor can play a recorded message, but calling with "an unsolicited prerecorded message" is illegal.

The Justice Department has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle a violation of privacy lawsuit by Roger Pilon, a former senior Justice official who was exonerated after a lengthy Justice investigation into allegations that he and his wife passed classified information to South Africa, according to officials familiar with the settlement. The payment ends a legal battle that began nearly a decade ago. The federal government has already paid Pilon $25,000 for violating his privacy.

In an unorthodox move with political and legal implications for Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti, the city's police union filed a $2-million claim Monday against the county, alleging that Garcetti's office mishandled an investigation of two police officers and violated their rights.

The Internal Revenue Service has canceled plans to start a new electronic tax-filing system after discovering serious flaws that jeopardized the security of confidential taxpayer information. The system, known as Cyberfile, was supposed to allow Americans to file their tax returns from home computers through the World Wide Web before April 15.

Actor Alec Baldwin was acquitted Friday of misdemeanor battery charges by a jury that apparently believed he was fearful for his safety when he struck a photographer trying to videotape his wife and newborn child. The trial pitted the celebrity's privacy and safety concerns against the photographer's argument that he was assaulted while taking pictures in a public street, a right protected under the 1st Amendment.

Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren said Tuesday he intends to push for legislation stripping serious juvenile offenders and graffiti vandals of anonymity when arrested, but stopped short of endorsing a bill permitting court-ordered paddling of taggers. Saying society needs to "reintroduce shame," Lungren announced in his annual State of the Public Safety address that he favors removing what long has been a cornerstone of the juvenile justice system: the confidentiality of young offenders' names.

When the world last saw "the pillowcase rapist," he was being mobbed by media in a Las Vegas airport. Inquiring minds wanted to know whether the man suspected in about 200 rapes had learned his lesson after 16 years behind bars. Not wanting to go out on a limb or anything, there with a microphone jammed in his face, the gap-toothed ex-con also known as Reginald Muldrew opined that that was "up in the air."

Accusing the Los Angeles city attorney's office of harassment and privacy invasion, the ACLU is challenging city efforts to obtain the names of lovers of a lesbian police officer who has filed several legal claims against the city.

Responding to a complaint by the ACLU, the Los Angeles city attorney's office vowed Friday to limit the scope of its questioning of a lesbian police officer who has several personnel claims against the city. In addition, the office promised to train employees on appropriate interview tactics regarding personal matters.

Responding to a complaint by the ACLU, the Los Angeles city attorney's office vowed Friday to limit the scope of its questioning of a lesbian police officer who has several personnel claims against the city. In addition, the office promised to train employees on appropriate interview tactics regarding personal matters.