77-23a-2 - Legislative findings. - Utah Statutes

77-23a-2. Legislative findings.
The Legislature finds and determines that:
(1) Wire communications are normally conducted through facilities which form part of aninterstate network. The same facilities are used for interstate and intrastate communications.
(2) In order to protect effectively the privacy of wire and oral communications, to protectthe integrity of court and administrative proceedings, and to prevent the obstruction of intrastatecommerce, it is necessary for the legislature to define the circumstances and conditions underwhich the interception of wire and oral communications may be authorized and to prohibit anyunauthorized interception of these communications and the use of the contents thereof in evidencein courts and administrative proceedings.
(3) Organized criminals make extensive use of wire and oral communications in theircriminal activities. The interception of such communications to obtain evidence of thecommission of crimes or to prevent their commission is an indispensable aid to law enforcementand the administration of justice.
(4) To safeguard the privacy of innocent persons, the interception of wire or oralcommunications when none of the parties to the communication has consented to the interceptionshould be allowed only when authorized by a court of competent jurisdiction and should remainunder the control and supervision of the authorizing court. Interception of wire and oralcommunications should further be limited to certain major types of offenses and specificcategories of crime with assurance that the interception is justified and that the informationobtained thereby will not be misused.

Enacted by Chapter 15, 1980 General Session