Surveillance Video Evidence: Finding and Preserving It
A visible camera may be pointed away, show only a live feed or have the wrong time setting. Find the operator and field of view before assuming footage exists. Ask promptly and lawfully whether relevant material was recorded and can be preserved; no general retention period or automatic right to private video applies.
Hurt Advice editorial guide. Source review: . This guide does not state that the attorney authored, reviewed or approved it. Visit the profile for public licensing and background records.
Review the attorney’s public background, then confirm experience and availability directly.
Raffi Naljian
Founder, Civil Litigation, Personal Injury & Criminal Defense Attorney
Raffi Garabed Naljian is the founder of Naljian Law Offices and an active California attorney under State Bar #238919. A Los Angeles Times profile says he founded the firm in 2008 after beginning his legal career in 1997, and the State Bar lists personal injury, litigation, criminal law, and business law among his self-reported practice areas.
View Raffi Naljian's full verified profilePrimary identity record
Learn more about Raffi Naljian
This is a focused supporting page. Use Raffi Naljian's full sourced attorney profile as the primary identity record for biography, role, languages, office information, and public-record links. Review that profile alongside the issue-specific preparation and public sources below.
The State Bar record lists Raffi Garabed Naljian as an active California attorney, State Bar #238919. Hurt Advice is a separate referral and legal information service, not the attorney's law firm.
How to Evaluate Attorney Fit for This Issue
This guide focuses on finding a useful view, preserving an original file and recording gaps. Counsel can advise on voluntary requests and, if a lawsuit exists, the formal process for nonparty footage. It does not claim any particular attorney sent a preservation letter or obtained video.
Consultation worksheet
Camera coverage and preservation worksheet
For each camera, record the operator, view, event-time window, response and missing segment. Request access only through lawful channels.
There is no submit or save action. Copy your notes before leaving this page.
From where and in which direction is the camera aimed? Does any confirmed frame show the approach, impact or only aftermath?
Which business, resident, transit or road agency controls it? Is it a recorder, motion trigger or live-only feed?
What event window and device-clock offset were given to the operator? Did the operator state an actual retention practice or confirm a recording exists?
When and how was lawful preservation requested, and who acknowledged it? Was a file actually preserved or only requested?
Who exported the original file, in what format and length? What blind spot, missing frame or later edit must be disclosed?
Sources for this guide
- California Courts: Subpoena someone or something
Official explanation of subpoenas for nonparty information in a lawsuit, not an immediate right to private footage.
- California Courts: Subpoena business records
Explains the formal process for obtaining nonparty business records in a lawsuit and the notice required for consumer or employee records; a private request alone does not compel production.
- Caltrans: CCTV documentation
States Caltrans live traffic video and stills are neither retained nor archived; other agencies and private operators may differ.
- California Courts: Introducing exhibits at trial
Explains why source, identification and context of an exhibit matter when presenting a recording.
What to Do Next
- 1From a lawful location, note camera position, direction and likely operator; distinguish a camera that could show the event from one that only sees the aftermath.
- 2Record event time, time zone and any clock mismatch, then ask the operator whether a recording exists and request preservation in writing.
- 3Keep a dated copy of the request and response. If video is voluntarily provided, save the original export and document who made it and whether it is complete.
- 4For a public camera, verify with the agency whether it retains footage; do not assume a live traffic feed has an archive.
Evidence Checklist
- Camera-location map with operator, angle and relevant time window
- Written preservation or access request and the custodian’s actual response
- Original authorized export with file format, timestamp, clock-offset and transfer history
- Witness or dashcam material that covers any blind spot or missing portion
Keep your unanswered questions handy when comparing the attorney’s public profile with your needs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Claiming a camera captured the incident solely because it is installed nearby
- Assuming a letter creates automatic preservation or access rights
- Citing fixed “24-hour” or “7–30-day” deletion rules for every operator
- Treating a cropped clip or live-only traffic view as a complete original recording
How the Process Typically Works
Locate the view
Map camera direction, operator and event time; identify blind spots before deciding what to request.
Confirm preservation
Ask for voluntary preservation or advice on formal process, then record whether the holder actually confirmed it.
Validate the file
Document the original export, clock difference, duration and handoffs before interpreting what it shows.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will a business keep its video?
There is no universal period. Ask the actual operator promptly whether it records, its retention practice and whether the relevant window was preserved.
Can a nearby Caltrans camera supply archived footage?
Do not assume so. Caltrans says its traffic camera video and still images are neither retained nor archived. Other camera owners need their own availability check.
Can I require a private business to send footage?
A voluntary request may work, but it does not guarantee access. California Courts describes a formal nonparty business-record subpoena process in a lawsuit, with additional notice rules for protected records.
Use the attorney’s public background as a starting point for a direct conversation about fit.
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Important Disclosures
Attorney Advertising. Hurt Advice is a lawyer-referral and legal-information service, not a law firm. This website provides general information, not legal advice. Viewing a page or submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Independent participating attorneys decide whether to accept a matter, and representation begins only under a separate written agreement. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome; results depend on the facts and circumstances of each matter.