Sec. 54-41a. Definitions. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 54-41a. Definitions. The following words and phrases, as used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context otherwise requires:

      (1) "Wire communication" means any communication made in whole or in part through the use of facilities for the transmission of communications by the aid of telephone or telegraph between the point of origin and the point of reception furnished or operated by any person engaged as a common carrier in providing or operating such facilities for the transmission of intrastate, interstate or foreign communications;

      (2) "Intercept" means the intentional overhearing or recording of a wire communication through the use of any electronic, mechanical or other device;

      (3) "Electronic, mechanical or other device" means any device or apparatus which can be used to intercept a wire communication other than (A) any telephone or telegraph instrument, equipment or facility, or any component thereof (i) furnished to the subscriber or used by a communications common carrier in the ordinary course of its business and being used by the subscriber or user in the ordinary course of its business, or (ii) being used by a communications common carrier in the ordinary course of its business, (B) a hearing aid or similar device being used to correct subnormal hearing to not better than normal;

      (4) "Person" means any officer, agent or employee of the state of Connecticut or any political subdivision thereof, and any individual, partnership, association, joint stock company, trust, limited liability company or corporation;

      (5) "Investigative officer" means (A) any officer of the Connecticut state police, (B) the chief inspector or any inspector in the Division of Criminal Justice who is empowered by law to conduct investigations of or to make arrests for offenses enumerated in this chapter, (C) any municipal police officer who has been duly sworn as a special state police officer under the provisions of section 29-177 and who is currently assigned to the state-wide narcotics task force or the state-wide organized crime investigative task force and is acting under the direct authority of the Connecticut state police, and (D) any attorney authorized by law to prosecute or participate in the prosecution of offenses enumerated in this chapter;

      (6) "Law enforcement officer" means any officer of any organized police department of this state or of the state police of any other state, an official of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration or United States Customs Service, or the United States attorney for the district of Connecticut or a person designated by him in writing to receive the contents of any wire communication or evidence derived therefrom;

      (7) "Contents", when used with respect to any wire communication, means and includes any information concerning the identity of the parties to such communication or the existence, substance, purport or meaning of that communication;

      (8) "Panel of judges" or "panel" means any panel or panels of three Superior Court judges specifically designated by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from time to time to receive applications for, and to enter orders authorizing, interceptions of wire communications in accordance with the provisions of this chapter;

      (9) "Communication common carrier" means any person engaged as a common carrier for hire in the transmission of communications by wire or radio;

      (10) "Aggrieved person" means a person who was a party to any intercepted wire communication, a person against whom the interception was directed, a person named in any order authorizing an interception, or a person having a property interest in any premises involved in any interception.

      (1971, P.A. 68, S. 1; P.A. 79-179, S. 1; P.A. 82-368, S. 1; P.A. 83-543, S. 1; P.A. 87-229; P.A. 95-79, S. 184, 189.)

      History: P.A. 79-179 replaced single definition for "investigative or law enforcement officer" with a separate definition for each, applying existing definition to investigative officers and adding chief inspectors and inspectors of criminal justice division; P.A. 82-368 expanded the definitions of "investigative office" to include municipal police officers as specified and "law enforcement officer" to include state police of other states and FBI or Drug Enforcement Administration officials; P.A. 83-543 expanded the definition of "law enforcement officer" to include the U.S. attorney for Connecticut or his designee; P.A. 87-229 expanded the definition of "law enforcement officer" to include an official of the United States Customs Service; P.A. 95-79 redefined "person" to include a limited liability company, effective May 31, 1995.

      Cited. 224 C. 593. Cited. 238 C. 253; Id., 692.

      Cited. 8 CA 673. Cited. 10 CA 347.

      Subdiv. (1):

      "Wire communication" as defined in this section includes the radio wave portion of a cordless telephone conversation. 224 C. 593.

      Subdiv. (2):

      Cited. 171 C. 524.

      Subdiv. (8):

      Cited. 194 C. 447.

      Subdiv. (10):

      Cited. 191 C. 360.