Legal Definitions - tapping

Tapping: The act of wiretapping, which is electronic or mechanical eavesdropping, usually done by law enforcement officers under court order, to listen to private conversations. Wiretapping is regulated by federal and state law.

Examples:

• A police officer obtains a court order to tap the phone of a suspected drug dealer to gather evidence.
• A private investigator taps the phone of a cheating spouse to gather evidence for a divorce case.

The examples illustrate how tapping is used to listen to private conversations for legal or investigative purposes. It is important to note that wiretapping is only legal with a court order and can be punishable by law if done without proper authorization.