Is It Legal to Record a Phone Call in Iowa?

There are some instances where you might need to pull this information out of your back pocket.

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Maybe you're going through a messy divorce or maybe you just want to make sure you've got receipts in case some sort of deal goes sour. Either way, you might be thinking about recording a phone call.

It's always a good idea to check the legality of these situations since it differs from state to state.

I'm about to put my law knowledge from college to good use. My communications law professor would be so proud of me...and I'm happy that I actually kept notes from that class.

If you want to PUBLISH private information, you've got to consider a few things.

According to legal precedent, there are instances where the publication of private information is lawful. However, depending on the situation it may be a direct violation of an individual's rights.

I know...kind of confusing, right?

If the information is truthful but private and not of legitimate public concern AND highly offensive to any normal and reasonable person, then it's a no-go.

However, when it comes to actually RECORDING a conversation over the phone, it's legal...somewhat. Iowa is something called a "one-party consent state." This means that it is illegal to record "communications, whether they are wire, oral or electronic, without the consent of at least one person taking part in the communication, as long as the recording is made without any criminal intent."

So, if you're on the phone with someone you can record the call without their knowledge. However, you are not allowed to record a conversation that you are not a part of without the consent of at least one of the parties involved.