Privacy Law Commons^™

Telegraph, Telephone And Wireless-Tapping

Michigan Law Review

A recent Federal case, Olmstead v. United States, suggests an interesting problem. Evidence obtained by Federal authorities, who tapped private telephone wires, was admitted in a criminal prosecution. It seems to be the general rule that fraudulently, wrongfully, or illegally procured evidence is admissible, if otherwise admissible. And certainly the courts have required telegraph companies to disclose messages to aid criminal prosecutions. Telegraph operators have been compelled to testify. And even where a state statute forbade disclosure of the message by the company, a subpoena duces tecum has compelled the production of a telegram to aid the courts. Testimony …