Wyoming

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Wyo. Stat. § 7-3-702: It is legal for a party to a wire, oral or electronic communication to record that communication, and it is legal for anyone to record with the consent of one of the parties to a communication, unless the communication is intercepted to further a criminal or tortious purpose.

Under the statute, consent is not required for the taping of a non-electronic communication uttered by a person who does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in that communication. See definition of "oral communication," Wyo. Stat. § 7-3-701.

Recording communications, or disclosing their contents with reason to believe they were obtained illegally, is a felony punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 and imprisonment for not more than five years. Violations also create the potential for civil liability for actual damages or $1,000 for each day of violation, whichever is more. Punitive damages, litigation costs and attorney fees can be recovered as well. Wyo. Stat. § 7-3-710.

Published Winter 2003. © The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 1815 N. Fort Myer Drive, Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22209. (703) 807-2100