Is Video Recording Your Neighbor Illegal?

In an era where technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, the law often struggles to keep up. One area where this is particularly evident is the use of video surveillance, such as IP cameras, to monitor neighbors. While video recording your neighbor is not inherently illegal, it can give rise to legal disputes under nuisance or privacy laws. This blog post explores how courts address such issues, using the case of Elliott v. Cagatin-Porter, an unreported case from Division Two of the Washington State Court of Appeals, as an example, and compares it to older legal frameworks like spite fence statutes.

The Washington Court of Appeals recently addressed a contentious neighbor dispute in Elliott v. Cagatin-Porter. In this case, the Elliotts and the Porters, who owned adjacent properties, became embroiled in a series of legal battles. The Elliotts alleged that the Porters' contractors had damaged their property and filed claims for waste, trespass, nuisance, and