Maryland

All-party consent

Maryland is an all-party consent jurisdiction: every participant must consent before the conversation may be recorded.

The part that catches people out

Our reading, not verified text. Everything in this section is editorial judgment about how the statute works. Unlike the statute above, the reading itself has not been checked against a source.

Maryland requires every party's consent for a private conversation. The statute reaches only communications carrying a reasonable expectation of privacy, which is the limit that most often decides surveillance questions.

Where this comes from

Federal floor

Federal law permits recording with one party's consent unless the recording is made to commit a crime or tort. Federal law is the FLOOR; a state may and many do require more. Where an interstate call touches two states with different rules, the safe assumption is the stricter one. See 18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(d).

Reference information, not legal advice. Statutes change and courts read them differently; confirm the current text with the linked primary source and counsel licensed in the jurisdiction before relying on it.

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