Terms of Use
These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern and provide important information about your use of www.cepp.com
Last Revised January 2023
These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern and provide important information about your use of www.cepp.com and related or included content, services, resources, features, and applications.
These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern and provide important information about your use of www.cepp.com and related or included content, services, resources, features, and applications, including but not limited to the online workspace and materials you access through learn.cepp.com (the “Website”). “CEPP” means and refers to the Center for Effective Public Policy. “You” and “Your” refer both to (i) you the individual using the Website, and (ii) any entity (including, but not necessarily limited to, any entity identified as part of the Website user registration process) on whose behalf you use the Website.
Subject to these Terms, the Website enables users to learn about CEPP’s work and access materials and resources about the criminal justice system.
ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS
IMPORTANT: YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE IS SUBJECT TO THESE TERMS AS PRESENTED TO YOU HERE. BY USING THE WEBSITE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THESE TERMS. NO CHANGES (ADDITIONS OR DELETIONS) TO THESE TERMS WILL BE ACCEPTED BY CEPP. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS, PLEASE DO NOT USE THE WEBSITE.
CEPP may change, add, or remove any part of these Terms or any part of the Website. In that event, such changes will be posted on the Website.
IF ANY FUTURE CHANGES ARE UNACCEPTABLE TO YOU, YOU SHOULD DISCONTINUE USING THE WEBSITE. YOUR CONTINUED USE OF THE WEBSITE NOW, OR FOLLOWING THE POSTING OF NOTICE OF ANY SUCH CHANGES, WILL INDICATE YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AS MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME.
Your use of the Website is also subject to the Website’s posted Privacy Policy.
AVAILABILITY OF THE WEBSITE
While CEPP will make reasonable efforts to ensure that the Website is available at all times, CEPP does not guarantee, represent, or warrant that provision of the Website will be uninterrupted or error-free, and CEPP does not guarantee that users will be able to access or use all of the features at all times.
CEPP may change, suspend, or discontinue any (or all) aspects of the Website at any time, including the availability of any related feature or project. CEPP may also impose limits on the use of or access to certain features or portions of the Website, or restrict your access to any part, or all, of the Website, in all cases without notice or liability.
SERVICE ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to use the Website, you must meet the following criteria and do hereby represent and warrant that you:
- are 13 years of age or older;
- are not currently restricted or prohibited from using the Website;
- assent to, accept, and will abide by these Terms.
- have full power and authority to agree to these Terms and in doing so do not and will not violate any other agreement to which you are a party;
- understand that the Website is provided to you AS IS; and
- will not violate any rights of CEPP or any third party, including intellectual property rights such as, but not limited to, patent, copyright, or trademark rights.
CONTENT & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, GENERALLY
The Website contains, and may contain, copyrighted material, trademarks, and other proprietary information of CEPP including, but not limited to, software, photos, graphics, data, narrative content, guides and other educational and/or instructional content, audio, presentational materials, and images. The Website may also contain copyrighted material, trademarks, and other proprietary information licensed by, or otherwise made available to CEPP from third party content suppliers. Except as otherwise expressly permitted by these Terms, you agree not to unlawfully modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, create derivative works of, or in any way exploit, in whole or in part, any copyrighted material or trademarks included on the Website. Except as otherwise expressly permitted by these Terms, no posting, copying, downloading, uploading, transmission, retransmission, distribution, redistribution, publication, republication, decompilation, disassembling, reverse engineering, modification, or commercial exploitation of any copyrighted or proprietary material included on the Website is permitted without the express permission of the copyright owner. In the event of any copying, redistribution, or publication of copyrighted material as permitted by these Terms, no changes in or deletion of author attribution, trademark, legend, or copyright notice shall be made.
By submitting, posting, or using content through or in connection with the Website, you are representing that you are the owner of such material or have authorization to use or distribute it. To the fullest extent permissible, you hereby grant CEPP a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, perform, display, distribute, and publish any such content for the purposes of promoting, expanding, or improving the Website.
Nothing in these Terms shall be interpreted to limit in any way whatsoever, your rights under the fair use provisions of United States copyright law to make any fair use of the Website and any information available therein, or portions thereof, for non-commercial purposes. Further, nothing herein is intended to or shall limit you from using the Website for any non-commercial purpose otherwise permissible by applicable law.
CENTER FOR EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY and other CEPP trademarks, service marks, graphics, and logos used in connection with the Website are trademarks or registered trademarks of CEPP. Other trademarks, service marks, graphics, and logos used in connection with the Website may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Except as expressly set forth elsewhere in these Terms, you are granted no right or license in any of the aforesaid trademarks, and you further agree that you shall not remove, obscure, or alter any proprietary notices (including trademark and copyright notices) that may be affixed to or contained within the Website (including materials that may be made available through the Website).
ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIONS & WARRANTIES
In addition to any other representations and warranties contained in these Terms, your authorization to use the Website is contingent upon the following conditions, each of which you hereby acknowledge, represent, and warrant:
- In the event you are using the Website on behalf of an entity that you have full power and authority to agree to these Terms on behalf of any such entity and in doing so do not and will not violate any other agreement.
- You own all right, title, and interest in or to, or possess valid and binding licenses for use of, all methods and/or property to be used by you in connection with any work you perform, and none of your work will violate or in any way infringe upon any rights of third parties, including, without limitation, any property, contractual, employment, proprietary information, or non-disclosure rights, or any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, or other proprietary rights.
CEPP’S RIGHT TO TERMINATE ITS LICENSE AND OTHER PERMISSIONS GRANTED TO YOU
Upon written notice to you, CEPP may terminate any and all license rights and other rights and permissions granted above and under these Terms in its sole discretion for any reason or no reason at all. Upon termination, all rights to use the Website materials as provided for under these Terms shall cease.
YOUR LICENSE TO CEPP
Subject to any applicable data privacy or other confidentiality restrictions, you hereby grant to CEPP a perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, non-commercial, sub-licensable license to possess, make, use, copy, distribute, demonstrate, and make derivative works of any work (including but not limited to any derivative work you create under these Terms), method, process, or procedure created by you in connection with your use (or on the basis of, whether in whole or in part, your use) of the Website.
ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY GUIDELINES
Your use of the Website must conform to the requirements of the law, respect for the rights of other Website users and third parties, and these Terms. CEPP reserves the right to terminate or restrict your access to the Website at any time, with or without cause for any reason. Events that are likely to trigger such measures include, but are not limited to, any breach of these Terms by you, your infringement of CEPP’s or others’ intellectual property, or any other circumstances which, in CEPP’s sole discretion, merit such measures.
Although this list is not exclusive, some commonly understood categories of inappropriate conduct are discussed below.
The Website may be used only for lawful and proper purposes. Posting, transmitting, promoting, using, distributing, or storing content that could subject CEPP or other Website users to any legal liability or, in CEPP’s sole determination, is offensive or in poor taste is not permitted.
Prohibited conduct includes:
- Pretending to be anyone you are not—you may not impersonate or misrepresent yourself as another person (including celebrities), another user, a CEPP employee, or a civic or government leader;
- Using false statements to get, or to attempt to get, private information from other Website or Internet users;
- Engaging in copyright infringement or other intellectual property infringement, or disclosing trade secret or confidential information in violation of a confidentiality or nondisclosure agreement;
- Posting or communicating obscene content;
- Planning illegal activity, such as building a bomb or counterfeiting money;
- Advertising a lottery, ammunition, firearms, tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, or drug-related paraphernalia;
- Using any “deep-link”, “page-scrape”, “robot”, “spider” or other automatic device, program, algorithm or methodology, or any similar or equivalent manual process, to access, acquire, copy or monitor any portion of the Website;
- Probing, scanning, or testing the vulnerability of the Website or any network connected to the Website;
- Reverse look-up or tracing (including attempted tracing) of any information on any other user of or visitor to the Website;
- Taking any action that imposes an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on the infrastructure of the Website;
- Exploiting the Website, or any service or information made available or offered by or through the Website, in any way where the purpose or effect is to reveal any information, including but not limited to personal identification or information, other than your own information.
- Harassing, threatening, or embarrassing another Website user, including unsolicited commercial communications;
- Stalking another Website user (“cyberstalking”);
- Transmitting, storing, or facilitating distribution of content that is harmful, abusive, violent, racially or ethnically offensive, lewd, vulgar or (in a reasonable person’s view) objectionable;
- If you are an adult, requesting personal or other information from a minor (any person under the age of 18 or such other age as local law defines as a minor) who is not personally known to you, including but not limited to any of the following: full name or last name, home address, zip/postal code, telephone number, picture, or the names of the minor’s school, church, athletic team, or friends;
- Posting content that defames, abuses, or threatens physical harm to others or yourself.
CEPP reserves the right to cooperate with law enforcement authorities, including complying with warrants, court orders, and subpoenas. In addition, CEPP reserves the right to comply with any civil court orders and/or subpoenas. If CEPP decides to investigate or resolve possible misuse involving you or anything you do on or with the Website, CEPP is entitled, except to the extent prohibited by applicable law, to disclose any information about you in their possession in connection with your use of the Website and anything you do with the Website to law enforcement or other government officials, as CEPP in its sole discretion believes to be necessary or appropriate. CEPP also reserves the right to remove content that, in their sole judgment, does not conform to these Terms. By your acceptance of these Terms and your use of the Website, you authorize CEPP to take any such actions.
Please remember that these are only guidelines and the above examples are non-exclusive and in no way limit CEPP’s discretion.
In addition to the above, certain features of the Website may contain additional guidelines regarding the acceptable use of those features. Any such additional guidelines are included in these Terms.
INVESTIGATIONS
CEPP RESERVES THE RIGHT (SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAW), IN THEIR SOLE DISCRETION, TO MONITOR ALL WEBSITE FEATURES, PROJECTS, AND CONTENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATING VIOLATIONS OF THESE TERMS.
When CEPP become aware of possible violations, CEPP may initiate an investigation, which may include gathering information from any user involved, any third party, and any complaining party.
During the investigation, any or all of your access to or use of the Website may be suspended or terminated and any involved or related content may be removed. If CEPP believes, in its sole discretion, that a violation of these Terms has occurred, it may take responsive action, including but not limited to permanent removal of illegal or inappropriate content, warnings, and the suspension or termination of Website use or access.
If, as a result of any such investigation, CEPP believes that any criminal activity has occurred, CEPP reserves the right to refer the matter to, and to cooperate with, any and all appropriate law enforcement authorities.
LINKS
Certain content, components, or features of the Website may include materials from third parties and/or hyperlinks to other websites, resources, or content. Because CEPP may have no control over such third party sites and/or materials, you acknowledge and agree that CEPP is not responsible for the availability of such sites or resources, that they do not endorse or warrant the accuracy of any such sites or resources, and that they shall in no way be liable or responsible for any content, advertising, products, or materials on or available from such sites or resources. You further acknowledge and agree that CEPP shall not be responsible or liable in any way for any damages you incur or allege to have incurred, either directly or indirectly, as a result of your use and/or reliance upon any such content, advertising, products, or materials on or available from such sites or resources.
INDEMNITY & WAIVER
YOU AGREE THAT CEPP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE IN ANY EVENT FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ANY CLAIM OR ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT (WHETHER , NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE) OR ANY OTHER CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION) ARISING OUT OF YOUR USAGE OF THE WEBSITE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION FOR (A) ANY INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, RELIANCE, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR (B) ANY OTHER DAMAGES IN THE AGGREGATE IN EXCESS OF $500.00.
TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, YOU AGREE TO INDEMNIFY, DEFEND, AND HOLD HARMLESS CEPP, AND ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS, AND EACH OF THEIR AFFILIATES, FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, LOSSES, LIABILITIES, DAMAGES, EXPENSES, AND COSTS (INCLUDING REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COURT COSTS) MADE BY ANY THIRD PARTY DUE TO OR ARISING OUT OF YOUR ACTS OR OMISSIONS, INCLUDING CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE; YOUR SUBMISSION, POSTING, OR TRANSMISSION OF CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE; YOUR BREACH OF ANY REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY, OR OBLIGATION UNDER THESE TERMS; OR YOUR VIOLATION OF THESE TERMS.
YOU FURTHER AGREE (TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW) TO WAIVE ANY CLAIMS YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST CEPP, HOLD CEPP HARMLESS, AND INDEMNIFY CEPP WITH RESPECT TO ANY CLAIMS RELATING TO ANY ACTION TAKEN BY CEPP AS PART OF ITS INVESTIGATION OF A SUSPECTED VIOLATION OF THESE TERMS OR AS A RESULT OF ITS FINDING OR DECISION THAT A VIOLATION OF THESE TERMS HAS OCCURRED. THIS MEANS THAT YOU CANNOT SUE CEPP OR RECOVER ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER FROM CEPP AS A RESULT OF ITS DECISION TO REMOVE MATERIAL FROM THE WEBSITE, TO WARN YOU, TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE YOUR ACCESS TO THE WEBSITE, OR TO TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION DURING THE INVESTIGATION OF A SUSPECTED VIOLATION OR AS A RESULT OF CEPP’S CONCLUSION THAT A VIOLATION OF THESE TERMS HAS OCCURRED. THESE WAIVER AND INDEMNITY PROVISIONS APPLY TO ALL VIOLATIONS DESCRIBED IN OR CONTEMPLATED BY THESE TERMS.
DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES; LIABILITY LIMITATIONS
SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. AS SUCH, TO THE EXTENT SUCH EXCLUSIONS OR LIMITATIONS ARE SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW, SOME OF THE EXCLUSIONS OR LIMITATIONS SET FORTH BELOW MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE WEBSITE IS UNDERTAKEN AT YOUR SOLE RISK. THE WEBSITE IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” FOR YOUR USE, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON- INFRINGEMENT.
CEPP DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT ANY CONTENT, INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, OR OTHER MATERIAL ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE WEBSITE WILL BE ERROR- FREE, COMPLETE OR ACCURATE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES, “WORMS,” “TROJAN HORSES,” OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.
IN NO CASE SHALL CEPP, OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, ASSOCIATED ENTITIES, AFFILIATES, AGENTS, PARTNERS, LICENSORS, OR CONTRACTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA, COST OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF CEPP HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES), RESULTING FROM: (I) THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE WEBSITE; (II) ANY CHANGES MADE TO THE WEBSITE OR ANY TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT CESSATION OF THE WEBSITE OR ANY PART THEREOF; (III) THE UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA; (IV) THE DELETION OF, CORRUPTION OF, OR FAILURE TO STORE AND/OR SEND OR RECEIVE YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA ON OR THROUGH THE WEBSITE; (V) STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE WEBSITE; AND (VI) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE WEBSITE. CEPP DOES NOT ENDORSE, WARRANT, OR GUARANTEE ANY THIRD- PARTY PROJECT OR SERVICE OFFERED THROUGH THE WEBSITE AND CEPP WILL NOT BE A PARTY TO OR IN ANY WAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING ANY TRANSACTION BETWEEN YOU AND ANY THIRD PARTIES THROUGH THE WEBSITE. YOU HEREBY RELEASE CEPP FROM ANY AND ALL OBLIGATIONS, LIABILITY, AND CLAIMS IN EXCESS OF THESE LIABILITY LIMITATIONS.
LEGAL PRINCIPLES
If any part of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, that portion shall be construed in a manner consistent with applicable law to reflect, as nearly as possible, the original intentions of the parties, and the remaining portions shall remain in full force and effect. Any claim or cause of action by you arising out of or related to use of the Website or these Terms must be filed within one (1) year after such claim or cause of action arose or be forever barred. The failure of CEPP to insist in any one or more instance upon the performance of any of the provisions, covenants or conditions of this Agreement; to exercise any option herein contained; or to refuse or opt not to take any action in connection with the Website not otherwise required under these Terms shall not be construed as a waiver or relinquishment for the future of any such provisions, covenants or conditions. Except as required by applicable non-U.S. local or national law, the laws of the State of Maryland, United States of America, excluding its conflicts of law rules, govern these Terms and your use of the Website. Your conduct and use of the Website may be subject to other local, state, national (U.S. and non-U.S.), and international laws. You expressly agree that exclusive jurisdiction for any claim or dispute arising from or regarding the Website or these Terms shall be brought and/or reside exclusively in either the federal or state courts for Montgomery County, Texas. You further agree and expressly consent to the exercise of personal jurisdiction in the Maryland courts in connection with any such dispute, including any claim involving the Website, these Terms, CEPP or its affiliates, related entities, subsidiaries, employees, contractors, officers, or directors.
Last Revised January 2023