Attorney Cameron Morgan said there are about 15 wiretaps done in Arizona each year at the state court level, but each one of those investigations can involve multiple tapped phones.

Morgan’s client, Manuela Villa, had her calls recorded after her daughter was convicted of a felony. Villa sued Maricopa county and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in her favor, saying wiretaps have to be approved by the “principal prosecuting attorney.”

In a statement, County Attorney Bill Montgomery said “I do read each affidavit provided by law enforcement in support of a wiretap application.”

Morgan said such powerful tool should not be delegated to the prosecutor's assistants.

“They simply don’t have the experience to be able to know what’s a good use of this investigative technique and what’s not,” Morgan said.

The county attorney said his office will likely appeal the decision.