Law Enforcement Request Policy

Authority and Scope of Policy

Legal Online Directory (the "Company") is a neutral online platform and lead-generation marketplace. We are not a law firm, we do not provide legal advice, and we do not enter into attorney-client relationships with users. Consequently, communications between users and the Company are not protected by attorney-client privilege, though they may be subject to privacy protections under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), 18 U.S.C. §§ 2701–2712, and various state privacy statutes.

This Law Enforcement Request Policy ("Policy") outlines the requirements for government agencies and law enforcement officials seeking data regarding our users, participating attorneys, or business transactions (including case-exchange referrals and legal funding inquiries). We reserve the right to amend this Policy at any time to reflect changes in federal law, such as updates to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure or the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act.

Legal Requirements for Production

The Company will only disclose user data in response to valid legal process. The level of legal process required depends on the nature of the information sought:

Basic Subscriber Information

Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2703(c)(2), the Company may disclose basic subscriber information in response to a valid administrative, civil, or grand jury subpoena. This information includes:

• Name and service address.
• Length of service and types of services used.
• Telephone number and email address.
• IP addresses used to access the service and associated logs.
• Payment information, such as credit card billing addresses (though we do not store full CVV/CVC numbers).

Other Non-Content Records

For records such as connection logs, metadata, or transactional information not including the content of communications, we require a court order issued under 18 U.S.C. § 2703(d). This requires a showing that there are "reasonable grounds to believe" that the records are relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation.

Content of Communications

To obtain the content of communications—such as messages sent between a consumer and an attorney via our directory’s messaging portal, or detailed descriptions of legal issues submitted through lead-capture forms—the Company requires a search warrant issued under the procedures described in the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (or equivalent state warrant procedures) based on a finding of probable cause.

Compliance with the ECPA and the CLOUD Act

The Company complies with the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510–2522, 2701–2712, and 3121–3127. For requests originating outside the United States, we adhere to the CLOUD Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2523, which governs how law enforcement may access data stored across borders.

If a foreign government seeks data, they must generally use a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) or a "letters rogatory" process through a U.S. court, unless a bilateral agreement under the CLOUD Act is in place between the U.S. and the requesting country.

State-Specific Privacy Considerations

As a lead-generation platform operating nationwide, the Company also complies with state-level comprehensive privacy laws that provide additional protections or notice requirements:

• California (CCPA/CPRA): Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.100 et seq., users have the right to know what personal information is collected. While the CCPA contains exceptions for disclosures required by law, the Company maintains logs of all law enforcement disclosures as part of our "Request to Know" compliance infrastructure.
• Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), and Connecticut (CTDPA): These statutes (e.g., Va. Code Ann. § 59.1-575; Colo. Rev. Stat. § 6-1-1304) generally exempt data disclosures made to comply with federal, state, or local laws or to respond to a subpoena or summons.
• State "Mini-TCPA" Records: In states like Florida (Fla. Stat. § 501.059) and Washington (CEMA), law enforcement may request records related to telemarketing consent. The Company preserves "one-to-one" consent logs, including IP addresses and timestamps, to verify compliance with the FCC’s 2024 "one-to-one" consent rules (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200).

Emergency Requests

Under 18 U.S.C. § 2702(b)(8) and § 2702(c)(4), the Company may voluntarily disclose user information (including content) to law enforcement without a subpoena or warrant if we have a good-faith belief that an emergency involving danger of death or serious physical injury to any person requires disclosure without delay.

To submit an emergency request, law enforcement must provide a formal statement on agency letterhead that:

1. Explains the nature of the emergency.
2. Identifies the person at risk of death or serious physical injury.
3. Specifies the exact records required to avert the emergency.

Notice to Users and "Gag Orders"

It is our policy to notify users of requests for their information unless:

1. We are prohibited from doing so by a "non-disclosure order" issued under 18 U.S.C. § 2705(b) or an equivalent state statute.
2. The request is an emergency request as defined above.
3. We believe, in our sole discretion, that providing notice would create a risk of injury, death, or irreparable harm to a person or an investigation.

Law enforcement agencies requesting non-disclosure must specify the statutory basis and the duration of the requested gag order.

Information Required in a Request

To process a request, the Company requires the following information:

• Identification of the Target: A specific email address, phone number, or internal User ID. We cannot search by "all users in [City]" or other overbroad parameters.
• Legal Authority: A clear statement of the legal authority (e.g., a specific court order or subpoena number).
• Contact Information: Name, department, badge/ID number, and a valid government email address of the requesting officer.
• Specific Date Ranges: All requests must be narrowly tailored to a specific period relevant to the investigation to comply with the Fourth Amendment's prohibition against general warrants.

Financial Records and GLBA/FCRA

Because the Company facilitates legal funding referrals and processes payments from attorneys, certain data may fall under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 6801-6809. We protect "nonpublic personal information" (NPI) of consumers and will only release such data to law enforcement in compliance with the GLBA’s exceptions for legal process.

Furthermore, we are not a "consumer reporting agency" as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq. However, if law enforcement requests information that the Company holds regarding a user’s creditworthiness (in the context of legal funding applications), we will evaluate the request under FCRA’s strict disclosure limitations.

Preservation Requests

Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2703(f), the Company will preserve records for a period of 90 days upon receipt of a valid preservation request from a government agency. This period may be extended for an additional 90 days upon a renewal request. We do not maintain data indefinitely; if a warrant or subpoena is not served within the preservation period, the data may be deleted according to our standard data retention policies.

Reimbursement of Costs

The Company reserves the right to seek reimbursement for costs directly incurred in searching for, assembling, reproducing, or otherwise providing information in response to legal process, as permitted under 18 U.S.C. § 2706 and applicable state laws. We do not charge for records provided in emergency situations or for requests involving child exploitation or life-safety matters.

Service of Process

The Company does not accept service of subpoenas, warrants, or court orders via email or fax unless prior arrangements have been made. All legal process must be served on our Registered Agent for service of process in the state where the Company is incorporated or where it maintains its principal place of business.

Requests should be formatted as follows:

• Subject: Law Enforcement Request - [Case Number/Matter Name]
• Addressed to: Legal Department / Custodian of Records

Contact

Law enforcement agencies with questions regarding these procedures may contact the Company's legal department through the Contact page. Please note that this contact channel is reserved for government and law enforcement officials only; any messages from users or attorneys regarding personal data will be redirected to the standard support channels.