Legal issues regarding recording everything I do...

Factual Questions
1

I’m wondering what the legal stance is in the United States on walking around with a video recorder and filming everything I do most of the time. Say I get some nifty digital recorder, strap it on, and upload all of the data via a wireless connection to a central server. Let’s also say that, while wearing such equipment, I was mugged. Could I use the recording of the crime as evidence in a court of law?

If I happened to be in a location where a crime was committed, but not against me directly, and I chose to give it to police, would it be legal to use in trial? What rights would law enforcement have in demanding my recordings as evidence?

Although it would be obvious that I had a camera on me, would I need to post some kind of sign saying or making an announcement that I was currently recording so that I would not be infringing on someone else’s privacy by recording their image and actions, and therefore getting in trouble myself?

If I were to record all of my telephone conversations, would I need to notify the people calling me ("…this call may be monitored for quality control…")?

If I recorded (audio or video) someone making a verbal business agreement which they later broke, could I use the recording in a court of law?

Lots of stuff here. I’m a little hazy here on where a person’s right to privacy comes into play, and at what point evidence is valid.

Note that I am a private citizen and not a member of law enforcement. If I were a policeman and was off duty while recording, would that be admissible?

I recognize that some of this might drift into GD territory. Should you wish to discuss it in this manner, please feel free to make your own thread over there. Since this is GQ, I’m looking for legal precedent and information on how the law stands right now.

2

IANAL etc and I don’t know all the answers, but here goes.

You are certainly free to turn over recordings made by you to be used as evidence of a crime committed against or around you. Think Rodney King. The State has the power to subpeona you to compel you to turn it over as well.

The expectation of privacy on a public street is extremely low. As long as your recording was not for publication/broadcast I don’t think you’re required to announce that you’re recording. Note that there are laws in some jurisdictions prohibiting recording of certain types (i.e. recording someone naked without consent, sites involving “national security” and the like). Since you’re talking, though, about broadcasting the information to a server, you may find yourself in some trouble.

Laws on recording telephone conversations vary from state to state. You’d probably avoid any legal trouble if, before the call begins, you did your “may be recorded” announcement.

It’s my opinion that a recording of an oral contract would be admissible in a civil suit as evidence of the contract.