Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

In California, if I am on an outdoor walkway on privately owned property to which the public has access (such as a shopping center) and I'm a private citizen videotaping, can the property's agent , i.e. a security guard, demand that I stop filming or leave?

Could you please give me the code and section(s) which apply? Thanks!


Asked on 10/24/12, 6:26 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

Edward Hoffman Law Offices of Edward A. Hoffman

The answer is yes. There is no specific statute or code that says so. But owners of private property can limit what their visitors are allowed to do. Telling you to stop filming or leave is well within that authority.

California requires the owners of shopping malls and other quasi-public places to allow some free speech by visitors that property owners in most other states would be free to forbid. But videotaping is not speech, so it is not entitled to this special protection.

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Answered on 10/24/12, 4:30 pm


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