                 TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
    CHAPTER 119--WIRE AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS INTERCEPTION AND 
                   INTERCEPTION OF ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
 
Sec. 2517. Authorization for disclosure and use of intercepted 
        wire, oral, or electronic communications
        
    (1) Any investigative or law enforcement officer who, by any means 
authorized by this chapter, has obtained knowledge of the contents of 
any wire, oral, or electronic communication, or evidence derived 
therefrom, may disclose such contents to another investigative or law 
enforcement officer to the extent that such disclosure is appropriate to 
the proper performance of the official duties of the officer making or 
receiving the disclosure.
    (2) Any investigative or law enforcement officer who, by any means 
authorized by this chapter, has obtained knowledge of the contents of 
any wire, oral, or electronic communication or evidence derived 
therefrom may use such contents to the extent such use is appropriate to 
the proper performance of his official duties.
    (3) Any person who has received, by any means authorized by this 
chapter, any information concerning a wire, oral, or electronic 
communication, or evidence derived therefrom intercepted in accordance 
with the provisions of this chapter may disclose the contents of that 
communication or such derivative evidence while giving testimony under 
oath or affirmation in any proceeding held under the authority of the 
United States or of any State or political subdivision thereof.
    (4) No otherwise privileged wire, oral, or electronic communication 
intercepted in accordance with, or in violation of, the provisions of 
this chapter shall lose its privileged character.
    (5) When an investigative or law enforcement officer, while engaged 
in intercepting wire, oral, or electronic communications in the manner 
authorized herein, intercepts wire, oral, or electronic communications 
relating to offenses other than those specified in the order of 
authorization or approval, the contents thereof, and evidence derived 
therefrom, may be disclosed or used as provided in subsections (1) and 
(2) of this section. Such contents and any evidence derived therefrom 
may be used under subsection (3) of this section when authorized or 
approved by a judge of competent jurisdiction where such judge finds on 
subsequent application that the contents were otherwise intercepted in 
accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Such application shall 
be made as soon as practicable.

(Added Pub. L. 90-351, title III, Sec. 802, June 19, 1968, 82 Stat. 217; 
amended Pub. L. 91-452, title IX, Sec. 902(b), Oct. 15, 1970, 84 Stat. 
947; Pub. L. 99-508, title I, Sec. 101(c)(1)(A), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 
Stat. 1851.)


                               Amendments

    1986--Pub. L. 99-508 substituted ``wire, oral, or electronic'' for 
``wire or oral'' in section catchline and wherever appearing in text.
    1970--Par. (3). Pub. L. 91-452 substituted ``proceeding held under 
the authority of the United States or of any State or political 
subdivision thereof'' for ``criminal proceeding in any court of the 
United States or of any State or in any Federal or State grand jury 
proceeding''.


                    Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 99-508 effective 90 days after Oct. 21, 1986, 
and, in case of conduct pursuant to court order or extension, applicable 
only with respect to court orders and extensions made after such date, 
with special rule for State authorizations of interceptions, see section 
111 of Pub. L. 99-508, set out as a note under section 2510 of this 
title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 2511, 2518, 2702 of this 
title.
