A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if the attorney general or a county attorney or such prosecuting attorneys as they may designate in writing reasonably determines that an emergency situation exists involving immediate danger of death or serious physical injury to any person, and that such death or serious physical injury may be averted by interception of wire, electronic or oral communications before an order authorizing such interception can be obtained, the attorney general or a county attorney or his designee may specially authorize a peace officer or law enforcement agency to intercept such wire, electronic or oral communications.

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 13-3015

  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Intercept: means the aural or other acquisition of the contents of any wire, electronic or oral communication through the use of any electronic, mechanical or other device. See Arizona Laws 13-3001
  • Peace officer: means any person vested by law with a duty to maintain public order and make arrests and includes a constable. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Person: means any individual, enterprise, public or private corporation, unincorporated association, partnership, firm, society, governmental authority or entity, including the subscriber to the communication service involved, and any law enforcement officer. See Arizona Laws 13-3001
  • Physical injury: means the impairment of physical condition. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Serious physical injury: includes physical injury that creates a reasonable risk of death, or that causes serious and permanent disfigurement, serious impairment of health or loss or protracted impairment of the function of any bodily organ or limb. See Arizona Laws 13-105
  • Writing: includes printing. See Arizona Laws 1-215

B. The attorney general or county attorney or his designee specially authorizing an emergency interception pursuant to subsection A of this section shall apply for an order authorizing the interception, in accordance with the provisions of section 13-3010. The application shall be made as soon as practicable, and in no event later than forty-eight hours after commencement of the emergency interception. The application shall include an explanation and summary of any interception of communications occurring before the application for authorization.

C. If the prosecuting attorney fails to obtain an authorization within forty-eight hours after commencement of the emergency interception, or if authorization to intercept communications is denied, the interception shall immediately terminate and any communications intercepted without judicial authorization may not be used as evidence in any criminal or civil proceeding against any person. In either event, the prosecuting attorney shall furnish to the court an inventory of any communications intercepted, for service pursuant to the provisions of section 13-3010, subsection I. The provisions of this subsection do not prohibit the use as evidence of any communications intercepted without judicial authorization against the persons conducting or authorizing the interceptions if such interceptions were not made in good faith reliance on this section.