Iowa Code 808B.2 – Unlawful acts — penalty
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1. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, a person who does any of the following commits a class “D” felony:
a. Willfully intercepts, endeavors to intercept, or procures any other person to intercept or endeavor to intercept, a wire, oral, or electronic communication.
b. Willfully uses, endeavors to use, or procures any other person to use or endeavor to use an electronic, mechanical, or other device to intercept any oral communication when either of the following applies:
(1) The device is affixed to, or otherwise transmits a signal through, a wire, cable, or other like connection used in wire communication.
(2) The device transmits communications by radio, or interferes with the transmission of radio communications.
c. Willfully discloses, or endeavors to disclose, to any other person the contents of a wire, oral, or electronic communication, knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through the interception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication in violation of this subsection.
d. Willfully uses, or endeavors to use, the contents of a wire, oral, or electronic communication, knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through the interception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication in violation of this subsection.
Attorney's Note
Under the Iowa Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class D felony | up to 5 years | between $1,025 and $10,245 |
Terms Used In Iowa Code 808B.2
- Contents: when used with respect to a wire, oral, or electronic communication, includes any information concerning the identity of the parties to the communication or the existence, substance, purpose, or meaning of that communication. See Iowa Code 808B.1
- Court: means a district court in this state. See Iowa Code 808B.1
- Electronic communication: means any transfer of signals, signs, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photooptical system that affects intrastate, interstate, or foreign commerce, but excludes the following:a. See Iowa Code 808B.1
- following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
- interception: means the aural acquisition of the contents of a wire, oral, or electronic communication through the use of an electronic, mechanical, or other device. See Iowa Code 808B.1
- Oral communication: means an oral communication uttered by a person exhibiting an expectation that the communication is not subject to interception, under circumstances justifying that expectation. See Iowa Code 808B.1
- person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
- property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
- real property: include lands, tenements, hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein, equitable as well as legal. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
- United States: includes all the states. See Iowa Code 4.1
- Wire communication: means any aural transfer made in whole or in part through the use of facilities for the transmission of communications by the aid of wire, cable, or other like connection between the point of origin and the point of reception, including the use of such connection in a switching station, furnished or operated by any person engaged in providing or operating such facilities for the transmission of interstate or foreign communications or communications affecting interstate or foreign commerce. See Iowa Code 808B.1
2. a. It is not unlawful under this chapter for an operator of a switchboard, or an officer, employee, or agent of a communications common carrier, whose facilities are used in the transmission of a wire communication, to intercept, disclose, or use that communication in the normal course of employment while engaged in an activity which is a necessary incident to the rendition of service or to the protection of the rights or property of the carrier of the communication. However, communications common carriers shall not use service observing or random monitoring except for mechanical or service quality control checks.b. It is not unlawful under this chapter for a person acting under color of law to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication, if the person is a party to the communication or one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to the interception.c. It is not unlawful under this chapter for a person not acting under color of law to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication if the person is a party to the communication or if one of the parties to the communication has given prior consent to the interception, unless the communication is intercepted for the purpose of committing a criminal or tortious act in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States or of any state or for the purpose of committing any other injurious act.d. It is not unlawful under this chapter for a person who is the owner or lessee of real property to intercept an oral communication if the person intercepts the oral communication under all of the following circumstances:(1) The interception of the oral communication is made by a surveillance system placed in or on the real property owned or leased by the person.(2) The surveillance system is installed with the knowledge and consent of all lawful owners or lessees of the real property.(3) The surveillance system is used for the purpose of detecting or preventing criminal activity in or on the real property owned or leased by the person or in an area accessible to the general public in the immediate vicinity of the real property owned or leased by the person.3. An operator of a switchboard, or an officer, employee, or agent of a communications common carrier, whose facilities are used in the transmission or interception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication shall not disclose the existence of any transmission or interception or the device used to accomplish the transmission or interception with respect to a court order under this chapter, except as may otherwise be required by legal process or court order. Violation of this subsection is a class “D” felony.