Cal. Civ. Code § 29-18-136
Eviction process video publication — Restrictions — Relief — Exceptions.
Operative Text
(a) As used in this section: (1) “Civil process related to an eviction proceeding” includes an eviction notice, a judgment of possession, and a writ of possession; and (2) “Participant in an eviction process” means a private entity or person who is serving or executing civil process related to an eviction proceeding or a person affiliated with a private entity or person who is serving or executing civil process related to an eviction proceeding, and does not include a law enforcement officer serving or executing civil process related to an eviction proceeding while engaged in the law enforcement officer's official duties. (b) Notwithstanding title 39, chapter 13, part 6 to the contrary and unless authorized by a court order, a participant in an eviction process is prohibited from publishing, transmitting, or broadcasting, in real-time or near real-time, in a manner that is accessible to the public, any video of the service or execution of civil process related to an eviction proceeding upon an individual without the express written permission of the individual if the publishing, transmitting, or broadcasting is for any purpose other than legal documentation of the service or execution of the civil process. (c) (1) An individual who is a victim of a violation of subsection (b) has a private right of action against the person who violates subsection (b). (2) A court may award a victim of a violation of subsection (b) who prevails in an action under this subsection (c): (A) A minimum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in statutory damages per intentional violation of subsection (b); (B) Actual damages; (C) Punitive damages, pursuant to § 29-39-104; (D) Other forms of equitable relief; and (E) Reasonable costs and attorney fees. (d) The prohibition in subsection (b) does not apply to a participant in an eviction process who publishes, transmits, or broadcasts, in real-time or near real-time, a video of the service or execution of civil process related to an eviction proceeding to the following, or the following's designees: (1) The landlord in the eviction proceeding; (2) The property owner in the eviction proceeding; (3) Counsel for the landlord or property owner; (4) A law enforcement agency; (5) The court with jurisdiction over the eviction proceeding; or (6) The property management company for the property in the eviction proceeding.
Tennessee Code Ann. tit. 29, ch. 18 § 29-18-136 restricts private parties involved in carrying out eviction-related civil process—such as serving eviction notices or executing writs of possession—from livestreaming or near-live broadcasting of those events to the general public. The restriction applies unless the person being served gives express written consent, or the video is being shared solely for legal documentation purposes, or it is being transmitted to a defined set of authorized recipients such as the landlord, property owner, their attorneys, a law enforcement agency, the court, or the property management company. Law enforcement officers acting in their official capacity are not covered by this rule.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 29-18-136, landlords and property management companies are among the authorized recipients to whom a process server or other eviction participant may lawfully transmit real-time or near-real-time video of civil process being served or executed. Compliant operators who hire private process servers or eviction companies generally confirm in advance that any video documentation shared with them falls within the permitted channels listed in subsection (d), rather than being broadcast to the public. Keeping records of how and to whom such video is transmitted can help demonstrate that the transmission stayed within the statutory exceptions.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 29-18-136 gives tenants and other individuals who are the subject of eviction-related civil process a private right of action if a private eviction participant publicly livestreams or near-live broadcasts that process without their express written permission and outside the statute's permitted exceptions. A court that finds a violation may award at least $25,000 in statutory damages per intentional violation, plus actual damages, punitive damages, equitable relief, and reasonable attorney fees under subsection (c). Individuals who believe this provision has been violated may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand the enforcement paths available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 29, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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