Alaska Statutes
Alaska Stat. § 42.20.300 (2026)
Unauthorized publication or use of communications
✓ current as of July 2026
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Sec. 42.20.300. Unauthorized publication or use of communications.
(a) Except for a party to a private conversation, a person who receives or assists in receiving, or who transmits or assists in transmitting, a private communication may not divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of the communication, except through authorized channels of transmission or reception
(1) to the addressee or the agent or attorney of the addressee;
(2) to a person employed or authorized to forward a communication to its destination;
(3) to proper accounting or distributing officers of the various communicating centers over which the communication may be passed;
(4) to the master of a ship under whom the person is serving;
(5) to another on demand of lawful authority; or
(6) in response to a subpoena issued or order entered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) Except as provided in AS 12.37, a person not authorized by a party to the communication may not intentionally intercept a private communication or divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of the intercepted communication to any person.
(c) A person who is not entitled to a communication but who has received the communication may not use it or any information contained in it for personal benefit or another's benefit.
(d) A person who has received a communication and who knows or reasonably should know that the communication and the information contained in it was obtained in violation of this section may not divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of the communication or any part of the communication.
(e) A person who has become acquainted with a communication or the information contained in it, and who is not entitled to the communication, may not use the same for personal benefit or another's benefit, or divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of the communication or any part of the communication.
(a) Except for a party to a private conversation, a person who receives or assists in receiving, or who transmits or assists in transmitting, a private communication may not divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of the communication, except through authorized channels of transmission or reception
(1) to the addressee or the agent or attorney of the addressee;
(2) to a person employed or authorized to forward a communication to its destination;
(3) to proper accounting or distributing officers of the various communicating centers over which the communication may be passed;
(4) to the master of a ship under whom the person is serving;
(5) to another on demand of lawful authority; or
(6) in response to a subpoena issued or order entered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(b) Except as provided in AS 12.37, a person not authorized by a party to the communication may not intentionally intercept a private communication or divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of the intercepted communication to any person.
(c) A person who is not entitled to a communication but who has received the communication may not use it or any information contained in it for personal benefit or another's benefit.
(d) A person who has received a communication and who knows or reasonably should know that the communication and the information contained in it was obtained in violation of this section may not divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of the communication or any part of the communication.
(e) A person who has become acquainted with a communication or the information contained in it, and who is not entitled to the communication, may not use the same for personal benefit or another's benefit, or divulge or publish the existence, contents, substance, purport, effect, or meaning of the communication or any part of the communication.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3
cases, 1997–2001 · leading case: Bartnicki v. Vopper, 532 U.S. 514 (2001).
Bartnicki v. Vopper, 532 U.S. 514 (2001). “(1994); Alaska Stat. Ann. § 42.20.300 (d) (2000); Ark.”
Bachlet v. State, 941 P.2d 200 (Alaska Ct. App. 1997). “[7] AS 42.20.300 provides, in relevant part: Unauthorized publication or use of communications.”
Boehner, John A. v. McDermott, James A., 191 F.3d 463 (D.C. Cir. 1999). “Code §§ 13A-ll-31,13A-ll-35 (1994); Alaska Stat. §§ 42.20.300 to 42.20.330 (Michie 1989 & Supp.”
— Alaska Stat. § 42.20.300(b) — 1 case
Bachlet v. State, 941 P.2d 200 (Alaska Ct. App. 1997). “[7] AS 42.20.300 provides, in relevant part: Unauthorized publication or use of communications.”
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