N.Y. Civil Practice Law & Rules Section 4506
Eavesdropping evidence

  • admissibility
  • motion to suppress in certain cases

1.

The contents of any overheard or recorded communication, conversation or discussion, or evidence derived therefrom, which has been obtained by conduct constituting the crime of eavesdropping, as defined by section 250.05 of the penal law, may not be received in evidence in any trial, hearing or proceeding before any court or grand jury, or before any legislative committee, department, officer, agency, regulatory body, or other authority of the state, or a political subdivision thereof; provided, however, that such communication, conversation, discussion or evidence, shall be admissible in any civil or criminal trial, hearing or proceeding against a person who has, or is alleged to have, committed such crime of eavesdropping.

2.

As used in this section, the term “aggrieved person” means:

(a)

A person who was a sender or receiver of a telephonic or telegraphic communication which was intentionally overheard or recorded by a person other than the sender or receiver thereof, without the consent of the sender or receiver, by means of any instrument, device or equipment; or

(b)

A party to a conversation or discussion which was intentionally overheard or recorded, without the consent of at least one party thereto, by a person not present thereat, by means of any instrument, device or equipment; or

(c)

A person against whom the overhearing or recording described in paragraphs (a) and (b) was directed.

3.

An aggrieved person who is a party in any civil trial, hearing or proceeding before any court, or before any department, officer, agency, regulatory body, or other authority of the state, or a political subdivision thereof, may move to suppress the contents of any overheard or recorded communication, conversation or discussion or evidence derived therefrom, on the ground that:

(a)

The communication, conversation or discussion was unlawfully overheard or recorded; or

(b)

The eavesdropping warrant under which it was overheard or recorded is insufficient on its face; or

(c)

The eavesdropping was not done in conformity with the eavesdropping warrant.

4.

The motion prescribed in subdivision three of this section must be made before the judge or justice who issued the eavesdropping warrant. If no eavesdropping warrant was issued, such motion must be made before a justice of the supreme court of the judicial district in which the trial, hearing or proceeding is pending. The aggrieved person must allege in his motion papers that an overheard or recorded communication, conversation or discussion, or evidence derived therefrom, is subject to suppression under subdivision three of this section, and that such communication, conversation or discussion, or evidence, may be used against him in the civil trial, hearing or proceeding in which he is a party. The motion must be made prior to the commencement of such trial, hearing or proceeding, unless there was no opportunity to make such motion or the aggrieved person was not aware of the grounds of the motion. If the motion is granted, the contents of the overheard or recorded communication, conversation or discussion or evidence derived therefrom, may not be received in evidence in any trial, hearing or proceeding.

Source: Section 4506 — Eavesdropping evidence; admissibility; motion to suppress in certain cases, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/CVP/4506 (updated Sep. 22, 2014; accessed Dec. 21, 2024).

4501
Self-incrimination
4502
Spouse
4503
Attorney
4504
Physician, dentist, podiatrist, chiropractor and nurse
4505
Confidential communication to clergy privileged
4506
Eavesdropping evidence
4507
Psychologist
4508
Social worker
4509
Library records
4510
Rape crisis counselor or domestic violence advocate
4511
Judicial notice of law
4512
Competency of interested witness or spouse
4513
Competency of person convicted of crime
4514
Impeachment of witness by prior inconsistent statement
4515
Form of expert opinion
4516
Proof of age of child
4517
Prior testimony in a civil action
4518
Business records
4519
Personal transaction or communication between witness and decedent or person with a mental illness
4519‑A
Possession of opioid antagonists
4520
Certificate or affidavit of public officer
4521
Lack of record
4522
Ancient filed maps, surveys and records affecting real property
4523
Search by title insurance or abstract company
4524
Conveyance of real property without the state
4525
Copies of statements under article nine of the uniform commercial code
4526
Marriage certificate
4527
Death or other status of missing person
4528
Weather conditions
4529
Inspection certificate issued by United States department of agriculture
4530
Certificate of population
4531
Affidavit of service or posting notice by person unavailable at trial
4532
Self-authentication of newspapers and periodicals of general circulation
4532‑A
Admissibility of graphic, numerical, symbolic or pictorial representations of medical or diagnostic tests
4532‑B
An image, map, location, distance, calculation, or other information taken from a web mapping service, a global satellite imaging site, o...
4533
Market reports
4533‑A
Prima facie proof of damages
4533‑B
Proof of payment by joint tort-feasor
4534
Standard of measurement used by surveyor
4536
Proof of writing by comparison of handwriting
4537
Proof of writing subscribed by witness
4538
Acknowledged, proved or certified writing
4539
Reproductions of original
4540
Authentication of official record of court or government office in the United States
4540‑A
Presumption of authenticity based on a party’s production of material authored or otherwise created by the party
4541
Proof of proceedings before justice of the peace
4542
Proof of foreign records and documents
4543
Proof of facts or writing by methods other than those authorized in this article
4544
Contracts in small print
4545
Admissibility of collateral source of payment
4546
Loss of earnings and impairment of earning ability in actions for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice
4547
Compromise and offers to compromise
4548
Privileged communications
4549
Admissibility of an opposing party’s statement
4550
Admissibility of evidence related to legally protected health activity
4551
New York voting and elections database

Accessed:
Dec. 21, 2024

Last modified:
Sep. 22, 2014

§ 4506’s source at nysenate​.gov

Link Style