Legal Disclaimer & DMCA Policy

Effective: January 1, 2026 · Last updated: January 1, 2026

1. Not Legal Advice

Nothing on this Service constitutes legal advice, creates an attorney-client relationship, or substitutes for advice from a licensed attorney admitted in your jurisdiction. Laws change frequently and vary by state, county, and municipality. Always consult a qualified attorney before making decisions about your legal rights, obligations, or any specific situation.

2. No Attorney-Client Relationship

Use of CopDefender does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and CopDefender, TransparencyNow, our employees, contributors, or any attorney listed in the directory. Listings in the attorney directory are informational referrals only — they are not endorsements, and we do not vet, supervise, or guarantee the work of any attorney. You are responsible for conducting your own due diligence (state bar verification, references, fee agreements) before retaining any attorney.

3. Recording Laws Vary — You Are Responsible

While we strive to keep our state-specific guidance accurate, we make no guarantee that the information is current, complete, or applicable to your specific facts. Court decisions, statutes, and local ordinances can change at any time.

4. Evidence Admissibility — No Guarantee

We make no representation or warranty that any video, audio, photograph, GPS log, or other content recorded through CopDefender will be:

• Admissible as evidence in any court, administrative proceeding, internal-affairs investigation, civil-rights complaint, or other forum;
• Sufficient to prove or disprove any fact;
• Free from technical defects, gaps, corruption, or chain-of-custody challenges;
• Recoverable in the event of device damage, theft, or service outage.

Evidentiary value depends on many factors outside our control, including but not limited to authentication procedures, the rules of evidence in your jurisdiction, the competence of counsel, and the discretion of the court.

5. Police Interactions — No Safety Guarantee

CopDefender is a tool for documenting police encounters and surfacing relevant legal information. It cannot guarantee your physical safety, prevent arrest, prevent use of force, or change the outcome of any encounter. Always prioritize your physical safety. Comply with lawful orders. Reserve your legal challenges for after the encounter, in court, with counsel.

6. Geographic Accuracy

Jurisdiction detection relies on device GPS and reverse-geocoding via OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Detection may be inaccurate near state borders, in tunnels, on tribal land, on military installations, or in areas with poor GPS signal. Always confirm your jurisdiction manually if accuracy matters.

7. Third-Party Content

Our blog, FAQ, glossary, and reference pages link to external sources (ACLU, EFF, Cornell Law, Oyez, DOJ, court opinions, news articles). We do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of third-party content and are not responsible for changes to external sites.

8. No Warranty of Service Availability

Cloud backup, attorney directory, and all other server-dependent features depend on third-party infrastructure (Supabase, Stripe, hosting providers, your cellular carrier, the public internet). We do not guarantee uninterrupted service. Plan accordingly — local on-device recording is always the most reliable option.

9. DMCA — Copyright Infringement Policy

We respect intellectual property and respond to valid notices under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 512). To file a DMCA takedown notice, send a written communication to our designated agent that includes:

1. A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent;
2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed;
3. Identification of the allegedly infringing material with enough detail to locate it (URL, in-app reference, etc.);
4. Your contact information (name, address, phone, email);
5. A statement that you have a good-faith belief the use is not authorized;
6. A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information is accurate and you are authorized to act on the owner's behalf.

Counter-notices. If your content was removed and you believe it was a mistake or misidentification, you may file a counter-notice meeting the requirements of 17 U.S.C. § 512(g)(3). We will restore the content unless the original complainant files a court action within 10–14 business days.

Repeat infringers. We will terminate accounts of users who are repeat infringers in appropriate circumstances.

10. Reporting Other Issues

• Privacy concerns: privacy@copdefender.app
• Security vulnerabilities: security@copdefender.app
• General legal: legal@copdefender.app
• Attorney directory corrections / removal: directory@copdefender.app

11. Acceptance

By using CopDefender, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to this Disclaimer along with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.