# Justice Manual § 9-7.111: Roving Interception

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.111

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-7.111
- **Heading:** Roving Interception
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-7.000 - Electronic Surveillance / Justice Manual § 9-7.111

## Text

Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2518(11)(a) and (b), the government may obtain authorization to intercept wire, oral, and electronic communications of specifically named subjects without specifying with particularity the premises within, or the facilities over which, the communications will be intercepted. (Such authorization is commonly referred to as "roving" authorization.) As to the interception of oral communications, the government may seek authorization without specifying the location(s) of the interception when it can be shown that it is not practical to do so.
See
United States v. Bianco
, 998 F.2d 1112 (2d Cir. 1993),
cert. denied
, 114 S. Ct. 1644 (1994);
United States v. Orena
, 883 F. Supp. 849 (E.D.N.Y. 1995). An application for the interception of wire and/or electronic communications of specifically named subjects may be made without specifying the facility or facilities over which the communications will be intercepted when it can be shown that there is probable cause to believe that the target subject's actions could have the effect of thwarting interception from a specified facility. 18 U.S.C. § 2518(11)(b)(ii).

When the government seeks authorization for roving interception, the Department's authorization must be made by the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney General, an Assistant Attorney General, or an Acting Assistant Attorney General.
See
18 U.S.C. § 2518(11)(a)(i) and (b)(i). Further guidance on roving interception may be found on ESU's DOJNet site.

[revised January 2020] [cited in
JM 9-7.100
]

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-7.010 Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.010.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.100 Authorization of Applications for Wire, Oral, and Electronic Interception Orders—Overview and History of Legislation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.100.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.110 Format for the Authorization Request](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.110.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.111 Roving Interception](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.111.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.112 Emergency Interception](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.112.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.200 Video Surveillance—Closed Circuit Television—Department of Justice Approval Required When There Is A Reasonable Expectation of Privacy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.200.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.250 Use and Unsealing of Title III Affidavits](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.250.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.301 Consensual Monitoring—General Use](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.301.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.302 Consensual Monitoring—Procedures for Lawful, Warrantless Monitoring of Oral Communications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.302.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.400 Defendant Motion or Discovery Request for Disclosure of Defendant Overhearings and Attorney Overhearings](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.400.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-7.500 Prior Consultation with the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division (CCIPS) for Applications for Pen Register and Trap and Trace Orders Capable of Collecting Uniform Resource Locators (URLs)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.500.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-7.111. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.