Conversations intercepted by wiretap may be released to a private litigant for use in a civil action on a showing of good cause, a New Jersey appeals court ruled Tuesday in a case of first impression.

The Appellate Division affirmed orders by Superior Court Judge Marilyn Clark of Passaic County compelling disclosure of wiretap information to the estate of Frank Lagano for use in a civil suit against the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. The state argued that New Jersey wiretapping statutes do not permit discovery of wiretap evidence in civil litigation, but the appeals court said nothing in the statute or case law suggested such a limit.