Opinion of the Court
Wiretapping Laws Are Unconstitutional When They Prohibit Disclosure of Unlawfully Intercepted Transmissions
This case was granted certiorari on June 26, 2000, and was affirmed on May 21, 2001. In a 6-to-3 decision, the Court held that wiretapping statutes are unconstitutional when they prohibit disclosure of unlawfully intercepted transmissions by someone who was not responsible for recording the transmissions but was aware that the recordings were illicitly made. The following is excerpted from the summary of the majority opinion written by Justice Stevens, as prepared by the Court Reporter of Decisions:The First Amendment protects the disclosures made by Respondents in this suit. Title III of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act…
