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-
- Date: Sat, 14 Jan 95 17:21:16 -0500
- From: Steve Brack <sbrack@cse.utoledo.edu>
- Subject: ECPA of 1986, revised 2/94, from EFF
- Status: RO
-
-
- Steve Brack
- sbrack@cse.utoledo.edu
- +1 419 534 7349
-
- >From ftp://ftp.eff.org/EFF/Legislation:
-
- [Electronic Communications Privacy Act, full text. Revised 02/21/94]
-
-
- In response to a number of requests from different sources, Shari Steele
- has compiled and I've edited and formatted an ASCII version of the Electronic
- Communications Privacy Act, including all amendments to the original Wiretap
- Act (18 USC 2510 et seq.), the complete chapter on stored communications
- (18 USC 2701 et seq.), and the amendments to pen-register and trap-and-trace
- procedures (18 USC 3121 et seq.)
-
- Please let me know if you catch any errors or typos.
-
-
- --Mike Godwin
- Online Counsel
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- mnemonic@eff.org
-
-
- -----------
-
-
-
-
- TITLE 18. CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
-
-
- PART I. CRIMES
-
-
- CHAPTER 119. WIRE AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS INTERCEPTION AND
- INTERCEPTION OF ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
-
-
- Sec. 2510. Definitions
-
-
- As used in this chapter --
-
-
- (1) "wire communication" means any aural transfer made in whole or in
- part through the use of facilities for the transmission of communications
- by the aid of wire, cable, or other like connection between the point of
- origin and the point of reception (including the use of such connection in
- a switching station) furnished or operated by any person engaged in
- providing or operating such facilities for the transmission of interstate
- or foreign communications or communications affecting interstate or
- foreign commerce and such term includes any electronic storage of such
- communication, but such term does not include the radio portion of a
- cordless telephone communication that is transmitted between the cordless
- telephone handset and the base unit;
-
-
- (2) "oral communication" means any oral communication uttered by a
- person exhibiting an expectation that such communication is not subject to
- interception under circumstances justifying such expectation, but such
- term does not include any electronic communication;
-
-
- (3) "State" means any State of the United States, the District of
- Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession
- of the United States;
-
-
- (4) "intercept" means the aural or other acquisition of the contents of
- any wire, electronic, or oral communication through the use of any
- electronic, mechanical, or other device.
-
-
- (5) "electronic, mechanical, or other device" means any device or
- apparatus which can be used to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic
- communication other than--
-
-
- (a) any telephone or telegraph instrument, equipment or facility, or
- any component thereof, (i) furnished to the subscriber or user by a
- provider of wire or electronic communication service in the ordinary
- course of its business and being used by the subscriber or user in the
- ordinary course of its business or furnished by such subscriber or user
- for connection to the facilities of such service and used in the ordinary
- course of its business; or (ii) being used by a provider of wire or
- electronic communication service in the ordinary course of its business,
- or by an investigative or law enforcement officer in the ordinary course
- of his duties;
-
-
- (b) a hearing aid or similar device being used to correct subnormal
- hearing to not better than normal;
-
-
- (6) "person" means any employee, or agent of the United States or any
- State or political subdivision thereof, and any individual, partnership,
- association, joint stock company, trust, or corporation;
-
-
- (7) "Investigative or law enforcement officer" means any officer of the
- United States or of a State or political subdivision thereof, who is
- empowered by law to conduct investigations of or to make arrests for
- offenses enumerated in this chapter, and any attorney authorized by law to
- prosecute or participate in the prosecution of such offenses;
-
-
- (8) "contents," when used with respect to any wire, oral, or electronic
- communication, includes any information concerning the substance, purport,
- or meaning of that communication;
-
-
- (9) "Judge of competent jurisdiction" means--
-
-
- (a) a judge of a United States district court or a United States court
- of appeals; and
-
-
- (b) a judge of any court of general criminal jurisdiction of a State
- who is authorized by a statute of that State to enter orders authorizing
- interceptions of wire, oral, or electronic communications;
-
-
- (10) "communication common carrier" shall have the same meaning which
- is given the term "common carrier" by section 153(h) of title 47 of the
- United States Code;
-
-
- (11) "aggrieved person" means a person who was a party to any
- intercepted wire, oral, or electronic communication or a person against
- whom the interception was directed;
-
-
- (12) "electronic communication" means any transfer of signs, signals,
- writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted
- in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic or
- photooptical system that affects interstate or foreign commerce, but does
- not include--
-
-
- (A) the radio portion of a cordless telephone communication that is
- transmitted between the cordless telephone handset and the base unit;
-
-
- (B) any wire or oral communication;
-
-
- (C) any communication made through a tone-only paging device; or
-
-
- (D) any communication from a tracking device (as defined in section
- 3117 of this title);
-
-
- (13) "user" means any person or entity who--
-
-
- (A) uses an electronic communication service; and
-
-
- (B) is duly authorized by the provider of such service to engage in
- such use;
-
-
- (14) "electronic communications system" means any wire, radio,
- electromagnetic, photooptical or photoelectronic facilities for the
- transmission of electronic communications, and any computer facilities or
- related electronic equipment for the electronic storage of such
- communications;
-
-
- (15) "electronic communication service" means any service which
- provides to users thereof the ability to send or receive wire or
- electronic communications;
-
-
- (16) "readily accessible to the general public" means, with respect to
- a radio communication, that such communication is not--
-
-
- (A) scrambled or encrypted;
-
-
- (B) transmitted using modulation techniques whose essential parameters
- have been withheld from the public with the intention of preserving the
- privacy of such communication;
-
-
- (C) carried on a subcarrier or other signal subsidiary to a radio
- transmission;
-
-
- (D) transmitted over a communication system provided by a common
- carrier, unless the communication is a tone only paging system
- communication; or
-
-
- (E) transmitted on frequencies allocated under part 25, subpart D, E,
- or F of part 74, or part 94 of the Rules of the Federal Communications
- Commission, unless, in the case of a communication transmitted on a
- frequency allocated under part 74 that is not exclusively allocated to
- broadcast auxiliary services, the communication is a two-way voice
- communication by radio;
-
-
- (17) "electronic storage" means--
-
-
- (A) any temporary, intermediate storage of a wire or electronic
- communication incidental to the electronic transmission thereof; and
-
-
- (B) any storage of such communication by an electronic communication
- service for purposes of backup protection of such communication; and
-
-
- (18) "aural transfer" means a transfer containing the human voice at
- any point between and including the point of origin and the point of
- reception.
-
-
- Sec. 2511. Interception and disclosure of wire, oral, or electronic
- communications prohibited
-
-
- (1) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter any
- person who--
-
-
- (a) intentionally intercepts, endeavors to intercept, or procures any
- other person to intercept or endeavor to intercept, any wire, oral, or
- electronic communication;
-
-
- (b) intentionally uses, endeavors to use, or procures any other person
- to use or endeavor to use any electronic, mechanical, or other device to
- intercept any oral communication when--
-
-
- (i) such device is affixed to, or otherwise transmits a signal through,
- a wire, cable, or other like connection used in wire communication; or
-
-
- (ii) such device transmits communications by radio, or interferes with
- the transmission of such communication; or
-
-
- (iii) such person knows, or has reason to know, that such device or any
- component thereof has been sent through the mail or transported in
- interstate or foreign commerce; or
-
-
- (iv) such use or endeavor to use (A) takes place on the premises of any
- business or other commercial establishment the operations of which affect
- interstate or foreign commerce; or (B) obtains or is for the purpose of
- obtaining information relating to the operations of any business or other
- commercial establishment the operations of which affect interstate or
- foreign commerce; or
-
-
- (v) such person acts in the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
- Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States;
-
-
- (c) intentionally discloses, or endeavors to disclose, to any other
- person the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication,
- knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through
- the interception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication in violation
- of this subsection; or
-
-
- (d) intentionally uses, or endeavors to use, the contents of any wire,
- oral, or electronic communication, knowing or having reason to know that
- the information was obtained through the interception of a wire, oral, or
- electronic communication in violation of this subsection;
-
-
- shall be punished as provided in subsection (4) or shall be subject to
- suit as provided in subsection (5).
-
-
- (2)(a)(i) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for an operator
- of a switchboard, or an officer, employee, or agent of a provider of wire
- or electronic communication service, whose facilities are used in the
- transmission of a wire communication, to intercept, disclose, or use that
- communication in the normal course of his employment while engaged in any
- activity which is a necessary incident to the rendition of his service or
- to the protection of the rights or property of the provider of that
- service, except that a provider of wire communication service to the
- public shall not utilize service observing or random monitoring except for
- mechanical or service quality control checks.
-
-
- (ii) Notwithstanding any other law, providers of wire or electronic
- communication service, their officers, employees, and agents, landlords,
- custodians, or other persons, are authorized to provide information,
- facilities, or technical assistance to persons authorized by law to
- intercept wire, oral, or electronic communications or to conduct
- electronic surveillance, as defined in section 101 of the Foreign
- Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 if such provider, its officers,
- employees, or agents, landlord, custodian, or other specified person, has
- been provided with--
-
-
- (A) a court order directing such assistance signed by the authorizing
- judge, or
-
-
- (B) a certification in writing by a person specified in section 2518(7)
- of this title or the Attorney General of the United States that no warrant
- or court order is required by law, that all statutory requirements have
- been met, and that the specified assistance is required, setting forth the
- period of time during which the provision of the information, facilities,
- or technical assistance is authorized and specifying the information,
- facilities, or technical assistance required. No provider of wire or
- electronic communication service, officer, employee, or agent thereof, or
- landlord, custodian, or other specified person shall disclose the
- existence of any interception or surveillance or the device used to
- accomplish the interception or surveillance with respect to which the
- person has been furnished an order or certification under this
- subparagraph, except as may otherwise be required by legal process and
- then only after prior notification to the Attorney General or to the
- principal prosecuting attorney of a State or any political subdivision of
- a State, as may be appropriate. Any such disclosure, shall render such
- person liable for the civil damages provided for in section 2520. No cause
- of action shall lie in any court against any provider of wire or
- electronic communication service, its officers, employees, or agents,
- landlord, custodian, or other specified person for providing information,
- facilities, or assistance in accordance with the terms of a court order or
- certification under this chapter.
-
-
- (b) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for an officer,
- employee, or agent of the Federal Communications Commission, in the normal
- course of his employment and in discharge of the monitoring
- responsibilities exercised by the Commission in the enforcement of chapter
- 5 of title 47 of the United States Code, to intercept a wire or electronic
- communication, or oral communication transmitted by radio, or to disclose
- or use the information thereby obtained.
-
-
- (c) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for a person acting
- under color of law to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic communication,
- where such person is a party to the communication or one of the parties to
- the communication has given prior consent to such interception.
-
-
- (d) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter for a person not acting
- under color of law to intercept a wire or oral communication where such
- person is a party to the communication or where one of the parties to the
- communication has given prior consent to such interception unless such
- communication is intercepted for the purpose of committing any criminal or
- tortious act in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States
- or of any State.
-
-
- (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title or section 705 or
- 706 of the Communications Act of 1934 , it shall not be unlawful for an
- officer, employee, or agent of the United States in the normal course of
- his official duty to conduct electronic surveillance, as defined in
- section 101 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, as
- authorized by that Act.
-
-
- (f) Nothing contained in this chapter or chapter 121, or section 705 of
- the Communications Act of 1934, shall be deemed to affect the acquisition
- by the United States Government of foreign intelligence information from
- international or foreign communications, or foreign intelligence
- activities conducted in accordance with otherwise applicable Federal law
- involving a foreign electronic communications system, utilizing a means
- other than electronic surveillance as defined in section 101 of the
- Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, and procedures in this
- chapter and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 shall be the
- exclusive means by which electronic surveillance, as defined in section
- 101 of such Act, and the interception of domestic wire, oral, or
- electronic communications may be conducted.
-
-
- (g) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter or chapter 121 of this
- title for any person--
-
-
- (i) to intercept or access an electronic communication made through an
- electronic communication system that is configured so that such electronic
- communication is readily accessible to the general public;
-
-
- (ii) to intercept any radio communication which is transmitted--
-
-
- (I) by any station for the use of the general public, or that relates
- to ships, aircraft, vehicles, or persons in distress;
-
-
- (II) by any governmental, law enforcement, civil defense, private land
- mobile, or public safety communications system, including police and fire,
- readily accessible to the general public;
-
-
- (III) by a station operating on an authorized frequency within the
- bands allocated to the amateur, citizens band, or general mobile radio
- services; or
-
-
- (IV) by any marine or aeronautical communications system;
-
-
- (iii) to engage in any conduct which--
-
-
- (I) is prohibited by section 633 of the Communications Act of 1934; or
-
-
- (II) is excepted from the application of section 705(a) of the
- Communications Act of 1934 by section 705(b) of that Act;
-
-
- (iv) to intercept any wire or electronic communication the transmission
- of which is causing harmful interference to any lawfully operating station
- or consumer electronic equipment, to the extent necessary to identify the
- source of such interference; or
-
-
- (v) for other users of the same frequency to intercept any radio
- communication made through a system that utilizes frequencies monitored by
- individuals engaged in the provision or the use of such system, if such
- communication is not scrambled or encrypted.
-
-
- (h) It shall not be unlawful under this chapter--
-
-
- (i) to use a pen register or a trap and trace device (as those terms
- are defined for the purposes of chapter 206 (relating to pen registers and
- trap and trace devices) of this title); or
-
-
- (ii) for a provider of electronic communication service to record the
- fact that a wire or electronic communication was initiated or completed in
- order to protect such provider, another provider furnishing service toward
- the completion of the wire or electronic communication, or a user of that
- service, from fraudulent, unlawful or abusive use of such service.
-
-
- (3)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, a person
- or entity providing an electronic communication service to the public
- shall not intentionally divulge the contents of any communication (other
- than one to such person or entity, or an agent thereof) while in
- transmission on that service to any person or entity other than an
- addressee or intended recipient of such communication or an agent of such
- addressee or intended recipient.
-
-
- (b) A person or entity providing electronic communication service to
- the public may divulge the contents of any such communication--
-
-
- (i) as otherwise authorized in section 2511(2)(a) or 2517 of this
- title;
-
-
- (ii) with the lawful consent of the originator or any addressee or
- intended recipient of such communication;
-
-
- (iii) to a person employed or authorized, or whose facilities are used,
- to forward such communication to its destination; or
-
-
- (iv) which were inadvertently obtained by the service provider and
- which appear to pertain to the commission of a crime, if such divulgence
- is made to a law enforcement agency.
-
-
- (4)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection or in
- subsection (5), whoever violates subsection (1) of this section shall be
- fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
-
-
- (b) If the offense is a first offense under paragraph (a) of this
- subsection and is not for a tortious or illegal purpose or for purposes of
- direct or indirect commercial advantage or private commercial gain, and
- the wire or electronic communication with respect to which the offense
- under paragraph (a) is a radio communication that is not scrambled or
- encrypted, then--
-
-
- (i) if the communication is not the radio portion of a cellular
- telephone communication, a public land mobile radio service communication
- or a paging service communication, and the conduct is not that described
- in subsection (5), the offender shall be fined under this title or
- imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and
-
-
- (ii) if the communication is the radio portion of a cellular telephone
- communication, a public land mobile radio service communication or a
- paging service communication, the offender shall be fined not more than $
- 500.
-
-
- (c) Conduct otherwise an offense under this subsection that consists of
- or relates to the interception of a satellite transmission that is not
- encrypted or scrambled and that is transmitted--
-
-
- (i) to a broadcasting station for purposes of retransmission to the
- general public; or
-
-
- (ii) as an audio subcarrier intended for redistribution to facilities
- open to the public, but not including data transmissions or telephone
- calls,
-
-
- is not an offense under this subsection unless the conduct is for the
- purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage or private financial
- gain.
-
-
- (5)(a)(i) If the communication is--
-
-
- (A) a private satellite video communication that is not scrambled or
- encrypted and the conduct in violation of this chapter is the private
- viewing of that communication and is not for a tortious or illegal purpose
- or for purposes of direct or indirect commercial advantage or private
- commercial gain; or
-
-
- (B) a radio communication that is transmitted on frequencies allocated
- under subpart D of part 74 of the rules of the Federal Communications
- Commission that is not scrambled or encrypted and the conduct in violation
- of this chapter is not for a tortious or illegal purpose or for purposes
- of direct or indirect commercial advantage or private commercial gain,
-
-
- then the person who engages in such conduct shall be subject to suit by
- the Federal Government in a court of competent jurisdiction.
-
-
- (ii) In an action under this subsection--
-
-
- (A) if the violation of this chapter is a first offense for the person
- under paragraph (a) of subsection (4) and such person has not been found
- liable in a civil action under section 2520 of this title, the Federal
- Government shall be entitled to appropriate injunctive relief; and
-
-
- (B) if the violation of this chapter is a second or subsequent offense
- under paragraph (a) of subsection (4) or such person has been found liable
- in any prior civil action under section 2520, the person shall be subject
- to a mandatory $ 500 civil fine.
-
-
- (b) The court may use any means within its authority to enforce an
- injunction issued under paragraph (ii)(A), and shall impose a civil fine
- of not less than $ 500 for each violation of such an injunction.
-
-
- Sec. 2512. Manufacture, distribution, possession, and advertising of
- wire, oral, or electronic communication intercepting devices prohibited
-
-
- (1) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, any
- person who intentionally--
-
-
- (a) sends through the mail, or sends or carries in interstate or
- foreign commerce, any electronic, mechanical, or other device, knowing or
- having reason to know that the design of such device renders it primarily
- useful for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or
- electronic communications;
-
-
- (b) manufactures, assembles, possesses, or sells any electronic,
- mechanical, or other device, knowing or having reason to know that the
- design of such device renders it primarily useful for the purpose of the
- surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications,
- and that such device or any component thereof has been or will be sent
- through the mail or transported in interstate or foreign commerce; or
-
-
- (c) places in any newspaper, magazine, handbill, or other publication
- any advertisement of--
-
-
- (i) any electronic, mechanical, or other device knowing or having
- reason to know that the design of such device renders it primarily useful
- for the purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or
- electronic communications; or
-
-
- (ii) any other electronic, mechanical, or other device, where such
- advertisement promotes the use of such device for the purpose of the
- surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic communications,
-
-
- knowing or having reason to know that such advertisement will be sent
- through the mail or transported in interstate or foreign commerce,
-
-
- shall be fined not more than $ 10,000 or imprisoned not more than five
- years, or both.
-
-
- (2) It shall not be unlawful under this section for--
-
-
- (a) a provider of wire or electronic communication service or an
- officer, agent, or employee of, or a person under contract with, such a
- provider, in the normal course of the business of providing that wire or
- electronic communication service, or
-
-
- (b) an officer, agent, or employee of, or a person under contract with,
- the United States, a State, or a political subdivision thereof, in the
- normal course of the activities of the United States, a State, or a
- political subdivision thereof, to send through the mail, send or carry in
- interstate or foreign commerce, or manufacture, assemble, possess, or sell
- any electronic, mechanical, or other device knowing or having reason to
- know that the design of such device renders it primarily useful for the
- purpose of the surreptitious interception of wire, oral, or electronic
- communications.
-
-
- Sec. 2513. Confiscation of wire, oral, or electronic communication
- intercepting devices
-
-
- Any electronic, mechanical, or other device used, sent, carried,
- manufactured, assembled, possessed, sold, or advertised in violation of
- section 2511 or section 2512 of this chapter may be seized and
- forfeited to the United States. All provisions of law relating to (1) the
- seizure, summary and judicial forfeiture, and condemnation of vessels,
- vehicles, merchandise, and baggage for violations of the customs laws
- contained in title 19 of the United States Code, (2) the disposition of
- such vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage or the proceeds from the
- sale thereof, (3) the remission or mitigation of such forfeiture, (4) the
- compromise of claims, and (5) the award of compensation to informers in
- respect of such forfeitures, shall apply to seizures and forfeitures
- incurred, or alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions of this
- section, insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of
- this section; except that such duties as are imposed upon the collector of
- customs or any other person with respect to the seizure and forfeiture of
- vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage under the provisions of the
- customs laws contained in title 19 of the United States Code shall be
- performed with respect to seizure and forfeiture of electronic,
- mechanical, or other intercepting devices under this section by such
- officers, agents, or other persons as may be authorized or designated for
- that purpose by the Attorney General.
-
-
- [Sec. 2514. Repealed. Pub.L. 91-452, Title II, Sec. 227(a), Oct. 15, 1970,
- 84 Stat. 930]
-
-
- Sec. 2515. Prohibition of use as evidence of intercepted wire or oral
- communications
-
-
- Whenever any wire or oral communication has been intercepted, no part
- of the contents of such communication and no evidence derived therefrom
- may be received in evidence in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding in
- or before any court, grand jury, department, officer, agency, regulatory
- body, legislative committee, or other authority of the United States, a
- State, or a political subdivision thereof if the disclosure of that
- information would be in violation of this chapter.
-
-
- Sec. 2516. Authorization for interception of wire, oral, or electronic
- communications
-
-
- (1) The Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, Associate Attorney
- General, or any Assistant Attorney General, any acting Assistant Attorney
- General, or any Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division
- specially designated by the Attorney General, may authorize an application
- to a Federal judge of competent jurisdiction for, and such judge may grant
- in conformity with section 2518 of this chapter an order authorizing or
- approving the interception of wire or oral communications by the Federal
- Bureau of Investigation, or a Federal agency having responsibility for the
- investigation of the offense as to which the application is made, when
- such interception may provide or has provided evidence of--
-
-
- (a) any offense punishable by death or by imprisonment for more than
- one year under sections 2274 through 2277 of title 42 of the United States
- Code (relating to the enforcement of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954),
- section 2284 of title 42 of the United States Code (relating to sabotage
- of nuclear facilities or fuel), or under the following chapters of this
- title: chapter 37 (relating to espionage), chapter 105 (relating to
- sabotage), chapter 115 (relating to treason), chapter 102 (relating to
- riots), chapter 65 (relating to malicious mischief), chapter 111 (relating
- to destruction of vessels), or chapter 81 (relating to piracy);
-
-
- (b) a violation of section 186 or section 501(c) of title 29, United
- States Code (dealing with restrictions on payments and loans to labor
- organizations), or any offense which involves murder, kidnapping, robbery,
- or extortion, and which is punishable under this title;
-
-
- (c) any offense which is punishable under the following sections of
- this title: section 201 (bribery of public officials and witnesses),
- section 215 (relating to bribery of bank officials), section 224 (bribery
- in sporting contests), subsection (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), or (i) of
- section 844 (unlawful use of explosives), section 1032 (relating to
- concealment of assets), section 1084 (transmission of wagering
- information), section 751 (relating to escape), section 1014 (relating to
- loans and credit applications generally; renewals and discounts), sections
- 1503, 1512, and 1513 (influencing or injuring an officer, juror, or
- witness generally), section 1510 (obstruction of criminal investigations),
- section 1511 (obstruction of State or local law enforcement), section 1751
- (Presidential and Presidential staff assassination, kidnaping, and
- assault), section 1951 (interference with commerce by threats or
- violence), section 1952 (interstate and foreign travel or transportation
- in aid of racketeering enterprises), section 1958 (relating to use of
- interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire),
- section 1959 (relating to violent crimes in aid of racketeering activity),
- section 1954 (offer, acceptance, or solicitation to influence operations
- of employee benefit plan), section 1955 (prohibition of business
- enterprises of gambling), section 1956 (laundering of monetary
- instruments), section 1957 (relating to engaging in monetary transactions
- in property derived from specified unlawful activity), section 659 (theft
- from interstate shipment), section 664 (embezzlement from pension and
- welfare funds), section 1343 (fraud by wire, radio, or television),
- section 1344 (relating to bank fraud), sections 2251 and 2252 (sexual
- exploitation of children), sections 2312, 2313, 2314, and 2315 (interstate
- transportation of stolen property), section 2321 (relating to trafficking
- in certain motor vehicles or motor vehicle parts), section 1203 (relating
- to hostage taking), section 1029 (relating to fraud and related activity
- in connection with access devices), section 3146 (relating to penalty for
- failure to appear), section 3521(b)(3) (relating to witness relocation and
- assistance), section 32 (relating to destruction of aircraft or aircraft
- facilities), section 1963 (violations with respect to racketeer influenced
- and corrupt organizations), section 115 (relating to threatening or
- retaliating against a Federal official), and section 1341 (relating to
- mail fraud), or section 351 (violations with respect to congressional,
- Cabinet, or Supreme Court assassinations, kidnaping, and assault), section
- 831 (relating to prohibited transactions involving nuclear materials),
- section 33 (relating to destruction of motor vehicles or motor vehicle
- facilities), section 175 (relating to biological weapons), or section 1992
- (relating to wrecking trains);
-
-
- (d) any offense involving counterfeiting punishable under section 471,
- 472, or 473 of this title;
-
-
- (e) any offense involving fraud connected with a case under title 11
- or the manufacture, importation, receiving, concealment, buying, selling,
- or otherwise dealing in narcotic drugs, marihuana, or other dangerous
- drugs, punishable under any law of the United States;
-
-
- (f) any offense including extortionate credit transactions under
- sections 892, 893, or 894 of this title;
-
-
- (g) a violation of section 5322 of title 31, United States Code
- (dealing with the reporting of currency transactions);
-
-
- (h) any felony violation of sections 2511 and 2512 (relating to
- interception and disclosure of certain communications and to certain
- intercepting devices) of this title;
-
-
- (i) any felony violation of chapter 71 (relating to obscenity) of this
- title;
-
-
- (j) any violation of section 11(c)(2) of the Natural Gas Pipeline
- Safety Act of 1968 (relating to destruction of a natural gas pipeline) or
- subsection (i) or (n) of section 902 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958
- (relating to aircraft piracy);
-
-
- (k) any criminal violation of section 2778 of title 22 (relating to the
- Arms Export Control Act);
-
-
- (l) the location of any fugitive from justice from an offense described
- in this section;
-
-
- (m) any felony violation of sections 922 and 924 of title 18, United
- States Code (relating to firearms);
-
-
- (n) any violation of section 5861 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
- (relating to firearms); and
-
-
- (o) any conspiracy to commit any offense described in any subparagraph
- of this paragraph.
-
-
- (2) The principal prosecuting attorney of any State, or the principal
- prosecuting attorney of any political subdivision thereof, if such
- attorney is authorized by a statute of that State to make application to a
- State court judge of competent jurisdiction for an order authorizing or
- approving the interception of wire or oral communications, may apply to
- such judge for, and such judge may grant in conformity with section 2518
- of this chapter and with the applicable State statute an order
- authorizing, or approving the interception of wire or oral communications
- by investigative or law enforcement officers having responsibility for the
- investigation of the offense as to which the application is made, when
- such interception may provide or has provided evidence of the commission
- of the offense of murder, kidnapping, gambling, robbery, bribery,
- extortion, or dealing in narcotic drugs, marihuana or other dangerous
- drugs, or other crime dangerous to life, limb, or property, and punishable
- by imprisonment for more than one year, designated in any applicable State
- statute authorizing such interception, or any conspiracy to commit any of
- the foregoing offenses.
-
-
- (3) Any attorney for the Government (as such term is defined for the
- purposes of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure) may authorize an
- application to a Federal judge of competent jurisdiction for, and such
- judge may grant, in conformity with section 2518 of this title, an order
- authorizing or approving the interception of electronic communications by
- an investigative or law enforcement officer having responsibility for the
- investigation of the offense as to which the application is made, when
- such interception may provide or has provided evidence of any Federal
- felony.
-
-
- Sec. 2517. Authorization for disclosure and use of intercepted wire,
- oral, or electronic communications
-
-
- (1) Any investigative or law enforcement officer who, by any means
- authorized by this chapter, has obtained knowledge of the contents of any
- wire, oral, or electronic communication, or evidence derived therefrom,
- may disclose such contents to another investigative or law enforcement
- officer to the extent that such disclosure is appropriate to the proper
- performance of the official duties of the officer making or receiving the
- disclosure.
-
-
- (2) Any investigative or law enforcement officer who, by any means
- authorized by this chapter, has obtained knowledge of the contents of any
- wire, oral, or electronic communication or evidence derived therefrom may
- use such contents to the extent such use is appropriate to the proper
- performance of his official duties.
-
-
- (3) Any person who has received, by any means authorized by this
- chapter, any information concerning a wire, oral, or electronic
- communication, or evidence derived therefrom intercepted in accordance
- with the provisions of this chapter may disclose the contents of that
- communication or such derivative evidence while giving testimony under
- oath or affirmation in any proceeding held under the authority of the
- United States or of any State or political subdivision thereof.
-
-
- (4) No otherwise privileged wire, oral, or electronic communication
- intercepted in accordance with, or in violation of, the provisions of this
- chapter shall lose its privileged character.
-
-
- (5) When an investigative or law enforcement officer, while engaged in
- intercepting wire, oral, or electronic communications in the manner
- authorized herein, intercepts wire, oral, or electronic communications
- relating to offenses other than those specified in the order of
- authorization or approval, the contents thereof, and evidence derived
- therefrom, may be disclosed or used as provided in subsections (1) and (2)
- of this section. Such contents and any evidence derived therefrom may be
- used under subsection (3) of this section when authorized or approved by a
- judge of competent jurisdiction where such judge finds on subsequent
- application that the contents were otherwise intercepted in accordance
- with the provisions of this chapter. Such application shall be made as
- soon as practicable.
-
-
-
- Sec. 2518. Procedure for interception of wire, oral, or electronic
- communications
-
-
- (1) Each application for an order authorizing or approving the
- interception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication under this
- chapter shall be made in writing upon oath or affirmation to a judge of
- competent jurisdiction and shall state the applicant's authority to make
- such application. Each application shall include the following
- information:
-
-
- (a) the identity of the investigative or law enforcement officer making
- the application, and the officer authorizing the application;
-
-
- (b) a full and complete statement of the facts and circumstances relied
- upon by the applicant, to justify his belief that an order should be
- issued, including (i) details as to the particular offense that has been,
- is being, or is about to be committed, (ii) except as provided in
- subsection (11), a particular description of the nature and location of
- the facilities from which or the place where the communication is to be
- intercepted, (iii) a particular description of the type of communications
- sought to be intercepted, (iv) the identity of the person, if known,
- committing the offense and whose communications are to be intercepted;
-
-
- (c) a full and complete statement as to whether or not other
- investigative procedures have been tried and failed or why they reasonably
- appear to be unlikely to succeed if tried or to be too dangerous;
-
-
- (d) a statement of the period of time for which the interception is
- required to be maintained. If the nature of the investigation is such that
- the authorization for interception should not automatically terminate when
- the described type of communication has been first obtained, a particular
- description of facts establishing probable cause to believe that
- additional communications of the same type will occur thereafter;
-
-
- (e) a full and complete statement of the facts concerning all previous
- applications known to the individual authorizing and making the
- application, made to any judge for authorization to intercept, or for
- approval of interceptions of, wire, oral, or electronic communications
- involving any of the same persons, facilities or places specified in the
- application, and the action taken by the judge on each such application;
- and
-
-
- (f) where the application is for the extension of an order, a statement
- setting forth the results thus far obtained from the interception, or a
- reasonable explanation of the failure to obtain such results.
-
-
- (2) The judge may require the applicant to furnish additional testimony
- or documentary evidence in support of the application.
-
-
- (3) Upon such application the judge may enter an ex parte order, as
- requested or as modified, authorizing or approving interception of wire,
- oral, or electronic communications within the territorial jurisdiction of
- the court in which the judge is sitting (and outside that jurisdiction but
- within the United States in the case of a mobile interception device
- authorized by a Federal court within such jurisdiction), if the judge
- determines on the basis of the facts submitted by the applicant that--
-
-
- (a) there is probable cause for belief that an individual is
- committing, has committed, or is about to commit a particular offense
- enumerated in section 2516 of this chapter;
-
-
- (b) there is probable cause for belief that particular communications
- concerning that offense will be obtained through such interception;
-
-
- (c) normal investigative procedures have been tried and have failed or
- reasonably appear to be unlikely to succeed if tried or to be too
- dangerous;
-
-
- (d) except as provided in subsection (11), there is probable cause for
- belief that the facilities from which, or the place where, the wire, oral,
- or electronic communications are to be intercepted are being used, or are
- about to be used, in connection with the commission of such offense, or
- are leased to, listed in the name of, or commonly used by such person.
-
-
- (4) Each order authorizing or approving the interception of any wire,
- oral, or electronic communication under this chapter shall specify--
-
-
- (a) the identity of the person, if known, whose communications are to
- be intercepted;
-
-
- (b) the nature and location of the communications facilities as to
- which, or the place where, authority to intercept is granted;
-
-
- (c) a particular description of the type of communication sought to be
- intercepted, and a statement of the particular offense to which it
- relates;
-
-
- (d) the identity of the agency authorized to intercept the
- communications, and of the person authorizing the application; and
-
-
- (e) the period of time during which such interception is authorized,
- including a statement as to whether or not the interception shall
- automatically terminate when the described communication has been first
- obtained.
-
-
- An order authorizing the interception of a wire, oral, or electronic
- communication under this chapter shall, upon request of the applicant,
- direct that a provider of wire or electronic communication service,
- landlord, custodian or other person shall furnish the applicant forthwith
- all information, facilities, and technical assistance necessary to
- accomplish the interception unobtrusively and with a minimum of
- interference with the services that such service provider, landlord,
- custodian, or person is according the person whose communications are to
- be intercepted. Any provider of wire or electronic communication service,
- landlord, custodian or other person furnishing such facilities or
- technical assistance shall be compensated therefor by the applicant for
- reasonable expenses incurred in providing such facilities or assistance.
-
-
- (5) No order entered under this section may authorize or approve the
- interception of any wire, oral, or electronic communication for any period
- longer than is necessary to achieve the objective of the authorization,
- nor in any event longer than thirty days. Such thirty-day period begins on
- the earlier of the day on which the investigative or law enforcement
- officer first begins to conduct an interception under the order or ten
- days after the order is entered. Extensions of an order may be granted,
- but only upon application for an extension made in accordance with
- subsection (1) of this section and the court making the findings required
- by subsection (3) of this section. The period of extension shall be no
- longer than the authorizing judge deems necessary to achieve the purposes
- for which it was granted and in no event for longer than thirty days.
- Every order and extension thereof shall contain a provision that the
- authorization to intercept shall be executed as soon as practicable, shall
- be conducted in such a way as to minimize the interception of
- communications not otherwise subject to interception under this chapter,
- and must terminate upon attainment of the authorized objective, or in any
- event in thirty days. In the event the intercepted communication is in a
- code or foreign language, and an expert in that foreign language or code
- is not reasonably available during the interception period, minimization
- may be accomplished as soon as practicable after such interception. An
- interception under this chapter may be conducted in whole or in part by
- Government personnel, or by an individual operating under a contract with
- the Government, acting under the supervision of an investigative or law
- enforcement officer authorized to conduct the interception.
-
-
- (6) Whenever an order authorizing interception is entered pursuant to
- this chapter, the order may require reports to be made to the judge who
- issued the order showing what progress has been made toward achievement of
- the authorized objective and the need for continued interception. Such
- reports shall be made at such intervals as the judge may require.
-
-
- (7) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any
- investigative or law enforcement officer, specially designated by the
- Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney
- General, or by the principal prosecuting attorney of any State or
- subdivision thereof acting pursuant to a statute of that State, who
- reasonably determines that--
-
-
- (a) an emergency situation exists that involves--
-
-
- (i) immediate danger of death or serious physical injury to any person,
-
-
- (ii) conspiratorial activities threatening the national security
- interest, or
-
-
- (iii) conspiratorial activities characteristic of organized crime,
-
-
- that requires a wire, oral, or electronic communication to be
- intercepted before an order authorizing such interception can, with due
- diligence, be obtained, and
-
-
- (b) there are grounds upon which an order could be entered under this
- chapter to authorize such interception,
-
-
- may intercept such wire, oral, or electronic communication if an
- application for an order approving the interception is made in accordance
- with this section within forty-eight hours after the interception has
- occurred, or begins to occur. In the absence of an order, such
- interception shall immediately terminate when the communication sought is
- obtained or when the application for the order is denied, whichever is
- earlier. In the event such application for approval is denied, or in any
- other case where the interception is terminated without an order having
- been issued, the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication
- intercepted shall be treated as having been obtained in violation of this
- chapter, and an inventory shall be served as provided for in subsection
- (d) of this section on the person named in the application.
-
-
- (8)(a) The contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication
- intercepted by any means authorized by this chapter shall, if possible, be
- recorded on tape or wire or other comparable device. The recording of the
- contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication under this
- subsection shall be done in such way as will protect the recording from
- editing or other alterations. Immediately upon the expiration of the
- period of the order, or extensions thereof, such recordings shall be made
- available to the judge issuing such order and sealed under his directions.
- Custody of the recordings shall be wherever the judge orders. They shall
- not be destroyed except upon an order of the issuing or denying judge and
- in any event shall be kept for ten years. Duplicate recordings may be made
- for use or disclosure pursuant to the provisions of subsections (1) and
- (2) of section 2517 of this chapter for investigations. The presence of
- the seal provided for by this subsection, or a satisfactory explanation
- for the absence thereof, shall be a prerequisite for the use or disclosure
- of the contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication or evidence
- derived therefrom under subsection (3) of section 2517.
-
-
- (b) Applications made and orders granted under this chapter shall be
- sealed by the judge. Custody of the applications and orders shall be
- wherever the judge directs. Such applications and orders shall be
- disclosed only upon a showing of good cause before a judge of competent
- jurisdiction and shall not be destroyed except on order of the issuing or
- denying judge, and in any event shall be kept for ten years.
-
-
- (c) Any violation of the provisions of this subsection may be punished
- as contempt of the issuing or denying judge.
-
-
- (d) Within a reasonable time but not later than ninety days after the
- filing of an application for an order of approval under section 2518(7)(b)
- which is denied or the termination of the period of an order or extensions
- thereof, the issuing or denying judge shall cause to be served, on the
- persons named in the order or the application, and such other parties to
- intercepted communications as the judge may determine in his discretion
- that is in the interest of justice, an inventory which shall include
- notice of--
-
-
- (1) the fact of the entry of the order or the application;
-
-
- (2) the date of the entry and the period of authorized, approved or
- disapproved interception, or the denial of the application; and
-
-
- (3) the fact that during the period wire, oral, or electronic
- communications were or were not intercepted.
-
-
- The judge, upon the filing of a motion, may in his discretion make
- available to such person or his counsel for inspection such portions of
- the intercepted communications, applications and orders as the judge
- determines to be in the interest of justice. On an ex parte showing of
- good cause to a judge of competent jurisdiction the serving of the
- inventory required by this subsection may be postponed.
-
-
- (9) The contents of any wire, oral, or electronic communication
- intercepted pursuant to this chapter or evidence derived therefrom shall
- not be received in evidence or otherwise disclosed in any trial, hearing,
- or other proceeding in a Federal or State court unless each party, not
- less than ten days before the trial, hearing, or proceeding, has been
- furnished with a copy of the court order, and accompanying application,
- under which the interception was authorized or approved. This ten-day
- period may be waived by the judge if he finds that it was not possible to
- furnish the party with the above information ten days before the trial,
- hearing, or proceeding and that the party will not be prejudiced by the
- delay in receiving such information.
-
-
- (10)(a) Any aggrieved person in any trial, hearing, or proceeding in or
- before any court, department, officer, agency, regulatory body, or other
- authority of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision
- thereof, may move to suppress the contents of any wire or oral
- communication intercepted pursuant to this chapter, or evidence derived
- therefrom, on the grounds that--
-
-
- (i) the communication was unlawfully intercepted;
-
-
- (ii) the order of authorization or approval under which it was
- intercepted is insufficient on its face; or
-
-
- (iii) the interception was not made in conformity with the order of
- authorization or approval.
-
-
- Such motion shall be made before the trial, hearing, or proceeding
- unless there was no opportunity to make such motion or the person was not
- aware of the grounds of the motion. If the motion is granted, the contents
- of the intercepted wire or oral communication, or evidence derived
- therefrom, shall be treated as having been obtained in violation of this
- chapter. The judge, upon the filing of such motion by the aggrieved
- person, may in his discretion make available to the aggrieved person or
- his counsel for inspection such portions of the intercepted communication
- or evidence derived therefrom as the judge determines to be in the
- interests of justice.
-
-
- (b) In addition to any other right to appeal, the United States shall
- have the right to appeal from an order granting a motion to suppress made
- under paragraph (a) of this subsection, or the denial of an application
- for an order of approval, if the United States attorney shall certify to
- the judge or other official granting such motion or denying such
- application that the appeal is not taken for purposes of delay. Such
- appeal shall be taken within thirty days after the date the order was
- entered and shall be diligently prosecuted.
-
-
- (c) The remedies and sanctions described in this chapter with respect
- to the interception of electronic communications are the only judicial
- remedies and sanctions for nonconstitutional violations of this chapter
- involving such communications.
-
-
- (11) The requirements of subsections (1)(b)(ii) and (3)(d) of this
- section relating to the specification of the facilities from which, or the
- place where, the communication is to be intercepted do not apply if--
-
-
- (a) in the case of an application with respect to the interception of
- an oral communication--
-
-
- (i) the application is by a Federal investigative or law enforcement
- officer and is approved by the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney
- General, the Associate Attorney General, an Assistant Attorney General, or
- an acting Assistant Attorney General;
-
-
- (ii) the application contains a full and complete statement as to why
- such specification is not practical and identifies the person committing
- the offense and whose communications are to be intercepted; and
-
-
- (iii) the judge finds that such specification is not practical; and
-
-
- (b) in the case of an application with respect to a wire or electronic
- communication--
-
-
- (i) the application is by a Federal investigative or law enforcement
- officer and is approved by the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney
- General, the Associate Attorney General, an Assistant Attorney General, or
- an acting Assistant Attorney General;
-
-
- (ii) the application identifies the person believed to be committing
- the offense and whose communications are to be intercepted and the
- applicant makes a showing of a purpose, on the part of that person, to
- thwart interception by changing facilities; and
-
-
- (iii) the judge finds that such purpose has been adequately shown.
-
-
- (12) An interception of a communication under an order with respect to
- which the requirements of subsections (1)(b)(ii) and (3)(d) of this
- section do not apply by reason of subsection (11) shall not begin until
- the facilities from which, or the place where, the communication is to be
- intercepted is ascertained by the person implementing the interception
- order. A provider of wire or electronic communications service that has
- received an order as provided for in subsection (11)(b) may move the court
- to modify or quash the order on the ground that its assistance with
- respect to the interception cannot be performed in a timely or reasonable
- fashion. The court, upon notice to the government, shall decide such a
- motion expeditiously.
-
-
- Sec. 2519. Reports concerning intercepted wire, oral, or electronic
- communications
-
-
- (1) Within thirty days after the expiration of an order (or each
- extension thereof) entered under section 2518, or the denial of an order
- approving an interception, the issuing or denying judge shall report to
- the Administrative Office of the United States Courts--
-
-
- (a) the fact that an order or extension was applied for;
-
-
- (b) the kind of order or extension applied for (including whether or
- not the order was an order with respect to which the requirements of
- sections 2518(1)(b)(ii) and 2518(3)(d) of this title did not apply by
- reason of section 2518(11) of this title);
-
-
- (c) the fact that the order or extension was granted as applied for,
- was modified, or was denied;
-
-
- (d) the period of interceptions authorized by the order, and the number
- and duration of any extensions of the order;
-
-
- (e) the offense specified in the order or application, or extension of
- an order;
-
-
- (f) the identity of the applying investigative or law enforcement
- officer and agency making the application and the person authorizing the
- application; and
-
-
- (g) the nature of the facilities from which or the place where
- communications were to be intercepted.
-
-
- (2) In January of each year the Attorney General, an Assistant Attorney
- General specially designated by the Attorney General, or the principal
- prosecuting attorney of a State, or the principal prosecuting attorney for
- any political subdivision of a State, shall report to the Administrative
- Office of the United States Courts--
-
-
- (a) the information required by paragraphs (a) through (g) of
- subsection (1) of this section with respect to each application for an
- order or extension made during the preceding calendar year;
-
-
- (b) a general description of the interceptions made under such order or
- extension, including (i) the approximate nature and frequency of
- incriminating communications intercepted, (ii) the approximate nature and
- frequency of other communications intercepted, (iii) the approximate
- number of persons whose communications were intercepted, and (iv) the
- approximate nature, amount, and cost of the manpower and other resources
- used in the interceptions;
-
-
- (c) the number of arrests resulting from interceptions made under such
- order or extension, and the offenses for which arrests were made;
-
-
- (d) the number of trials resulting from such interceptions;
-
-
- (e) the number of motions to suppress made with respect to such
- interceptions, and the number granted or denied;
-
-
- (f) the number of convictions resulting from such interceptions and the
- offenses for which the convictions were obtained and a general assessment
- of the importance of the interceptions; and
-
-
- (g) the information required by paragraphs (b) through (f) of this
- subsection with respect to orders or extensions obtained in a preceding
- calendar year.
-
-
- (3) In April of each year the Director of the Administrative Office of
- the United States Courts shall transmit to the Congress a full and
- complete report concerning the number of applications for orders
- authorizing or approving the interception of wire, oral, or electronic
- communications pursuant to this chapter and the number of orders and
- extensions granted or denied pursuant to this chapter during the preceding
- calendar year. Such report shall include a summary and analysis of the
- data required to be filed with the Administrative Office by subsections
- (1) and (2) of this section. The Director of the Administrative Office of
- the United States Courts is authorized to issue binding regulations
- dealing with the content and form of the reports required to be filed by
- subsections (1) and (2) of this section.
-
-
- Sec. 2520. Recovery of civil damages authorized
-
-
- (a) In general. Except as provided in section 2511(2)(a)(ii), any
- person whose wire, oral, or electronic communication is intercepted,
- disclosed, or intentionally used in violation of this chapter may in a
- civil action recover from the person or entity which engaged in that
- violation such relief as may be appropriate.
-
-
- (b) Relief. In an action under this section, appropriate relief
- includes--
-
-
- (1) such preliminary and other equitable or declaratory relief as may
- be appropriate;
-
-
- (2) damages under subsection (c) and punitive damages in appropriate
- cases; and
-
-
- (3) a reasonable attorney's fee and other litigation costs reasonably
- incurred.
-
-
- (c) Computation of damages.
-
-
- (1) In an action under this section, if the conduct in violation of
- this chapter, is the private viewing of a private satellite video
- communication that is not scrambled or encrypted or if the communication
- is a radio communication that is transmitted on frequencies allocated
- under subpart D of part 74 of the rules of the Federal Communications
- Commission that is not scrambled or encrypted and the conduct is not for a
- tortious or illegal purpose or for purposes of direct or indirect
- commercial advantage or private commercial gain, then the court shall
- assess damages as follows:
-
-
- (A) If the person who engaged in that conduct has not previously been
- enjoined under section 2511(5) and has not been found liable in a prior
- civil action under this section, the court shall assess the greater of the
- sum of actual damages suffered by the plaintiff, or statutory damages of
- not less than $ 50 and not more than $ 500.
-
-
- (B) If, on one prior occasion, the person who engaged in that conduct
- has been enjoined under section 2511(5) or has been found liable in a
- civil action under this section, the court shall assess the greater of the
- sum of actual damages suffered by the plaintiff, or statutory damages of
- not less than $ 100 and not more than $ 1000.
-
-
- (2) In any other action under this section, the court may assess as
- damages whichever is the greater of--
-
-
- (A) the sum of the actual damages suffered by the plaintiff and any
- profits made by the violator as a result of the violation; or
-
-
- (B) statutory damages of whichever is the greater of $ 100 a day for
- each day of violation or $ 10,000.
-
-
- (d) Defense. A good faith reliance on--
-
-
- (1) a court warrant or order, a grand jury subpoena, a legislative
- authorization, or a statutory authorization;
-
-
- (2) a request of an investigative or law enforcement officer under
- section 2518(7) of this title; or
-
-
- (3) a good faith determination that section 2511(3) of this title
- permitted the conduct complained of; is a complete defense against any
- civil or criminal action brought under this chapter or any other law.
-
-
- (e) Limitation. A civil action under this section may not be commenced
- later than two years after the date upon which the claimant first has a
- reasonable opportunity to discover the violation.
-
-
- Sec. 2521. Injunction against illegal interception
-
-
- Whenever it shall appear that any person is engaged or is about to
- engage in any act which constitutes or will constitute a felony violation
- of this chapter, the Attorney General may initiate a civil action in a
- district court of the United States to enjoin such violation. The court
- shall proceed as soon as practicable to the hearing and determination of
- such an action, and may, at any time before final determination, enter
- such a restraining order or prohibition, or take such other action, as is
- warranted to prevent a continuing and substantial injury to the United
- States or to any person or class of persons for whose protection the
- action is brought. A proceeding under this section is governed by the
- Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, except that, if an indictment has been
- returned against the respondent, discovery is governed by the Federal
- Rules of Criminal Procedure.
-
-
-
-
-
- CHAPTER 121. STORED WIRE AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSACTIONAL
- RECORDS ACCESS
-
-
- Sec. 2701. Unlawful access to stored communications
-
-
- (a) Offense. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section
- whoever--
-
-
- (1) intentionally accesses without authorization a facility through
- which an electronic communication service is provided; or
-
-
- (2) intentionally exceeds an authorization to access that facility; and
- thereby obtains, alters, or prevents authorized access to a wire or
- electronic communication while it is in electronic storage in such system
- shall be punished as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
-
-
- (b) Punishment. The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) of
- this section is--
-
-
- (1) if the offense is committed for purposes of commercial advantage,
- malicious destruction or damage, or private commercial gain--
-
-
- (A) a fine of not more than $ 250,000 or imprisonment for not more than
- one year, or both, in the case of a first offense under this subparagraph;
- and
-
-
- (B) a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than two
- years, or both, for any subsequent offense under this subparagraph; and
-
-
- (2) a fine of not more than $ 5,000 or imprisonment for not more than
- six months, or both, in any other case.
-
-
- (c) Exceptions. Subsection (a) of this section does not apply with
- respect to conduct authorized--
-
-
- (1) by the person or entity providing a wire or electronic
- communications service;
-
-
- (2) by a user of that service with respect to a communication of or
- intended for that user; or
-
-
- (3) in section 2703, 2704 or 2518 of this title.
-
-
- Sec. 2702. Disclosure of contents
-
-
- (a) Prohibitions. Except as provided in subsection (b)--
-
-
- (1) a person or entity providing an electronic communication service to
- the public shall not knowingly divulge to any person or entity the
- contents of a communication while in electronic storage by that service;
- and
-
-
- (2) a person or entity providing remote computing service to the public
- shall not knowingly divulge to any person or entity the contents of any
- communication which is carried or maintained on that service--
-
-
- (A) on behalf of, and received by means of electronic transmission from
- (or created by means of computer processing of communications received by
- means of electronic transmission from), a subscriber or customer of such
- service; and
-
-
- (B) solely for the purpose of providing storage or computer processing
- services to such subscriber or customer, if the provider is not authorized
- to access the contents of any such communications for purposes of
- providing any services other than storage or computer processing.
-
-
- (b) Exceptions. A person or entity may divulge the contents of a
- communication--
-
-
- (1) to an addressee or intended recipient of such communication or an
- agent of such addressee or intended recipient;
-
-
- (2) as otherwise authorized in section 2517, 2511(2)(a), or 2703 of
- this title;
-
-
- (3) with the lawful consent of the originator or an addressee or
- intended recipient of such communication, or the subscriber in the case of
- remote computing service;
-
-
- (4) to a person employed or authorized or whose facilities are used to
- forward such communication to its destination;
-
-
- (5) as may be necessarily incident to the rendition of the service or
- to the protection of the rights or property of the provider of that
- service; or
-
-
- (6) to a law enforcement agency, if such contents--
-
-
- (A) were inadvertently obtained by the service provider; and
-
-
- (B) appear to pertain to the commission of a crime.
-
-
- Sec. 2703. Requirements for governmental access
-
-
- (a) Contents of electronic communications in electronic storage.--A
- governmental entity may require the disclosure by a provider of
- electronic communication service of the contents of an electronic
- communication, that is in electronic storage in an electronic
- communications system for one hundred and eighty days or less, only
- pursuant to a warrant issued under the Federal Rules of Criminal
- Procedure or equivalent State warrant. A governmental entity may require
- the disclosure by a provider of electronic communications services of
- the contents of an electronic communication that has been in electronic
- storage in an electronic communications system for more than one hundred
- and eighty days by the means available under subsection (b) of this
- section.
-
-
- (b) Contents of electronic communications in a remote computing
- service.--(1) A governmental entity may require a provider of remote
- computing service to disclose the contents of any electronic
- communication to which this paragraph is made applicable by paragraph
- (2) of this subsection--
-
-
- (A) without required notice to the subscriber or customer, if the
- governmental entity obtains a warrant issued under the Federal Rules of
- Criminal Procedure or equivalent State warrant; or
-
-
- (B) with prior notice from the governmental entity to the subscriber
- or customer if the governmental entity--
-
-
- (i) uses an administrative subpoena authorized by a Federal or State
- statute or a Federal or State grand jury subpoena; or
-
-
- (ii) obtains a court order for such disclosure under subsection (d)
- of this section; except that delayed notice may be given pursuant to
- section 2705 of this title.
-
-
- (2) Paragraph (1) is applicable with respect to any electronic
- communications that is held or maintained on that service--
-
-
- (A) on behalf of, and received by means of electronic transmission
- from (or created by means of computer processing of communications
- received by means of electronic transmission from), a subscriber or
- customer of such remote computing service; and
-
-
- (B) solely for the purpose of providing storage or computer
- processing services to such subscriber or customer, if the provider is not
- authorized to access the contents of any such communications for purposes
- of providing any services other than storage or computer processing.
-
-
- (c) Records concerning electronic communications service or remote
- computing service.--(1)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a
- provider of electronic communication service or remote computing service
- may disclose a record or other information pertaining to a subscriber to
- or customer of such service (not including the contents of communications
- covered by subsection (a) or (b) of this section) to any person other than
- a governmental entity.
-
-
- (B) a provider of electronic communication service or remote
- computing service shall disclose a record or other information pertaining
- to a subscriber to or customer of such service (not including the contents
- of communications covered by subsection (a) or (b) of this section) to a
- governmental entity only when the governmental entity--
-
-
- (i) uses an administrative subpoena authorized by a Federal or State
- statute, or a Federal or State grand jury subpoena;
-
-
- (ii)obtains a warrant issued under the Federal Rules of Criminal
- Procedure or equivalent State warrant;
-
-
- (iii)obtains a court order for such disclosure under subsection (d)
- of this section; or
-
-
- (iv) has the consent of the subscriber or customer to such
- disclosure. (2)A governmental entity receiving records or information
- under this subsection is not required to provide notice to a subscriber or
- customer.
-
-
- (d) Requirements for court order.--A court order for disclosure under
- subsection (b) or (c) of this section shall issue only if the governmental
- entity shows that there is reason to believe the contents of a wire or
- electronic communication, or the records or other information sought, are
- relevant to a legitimate law enforcement inquiry. In the case of a State
- governmental authority, such a court order shall not issue if prohibited
- by the law of such State. A court issuing an order pursuant to this
- section, on a motion made promptly by the service provider, may quash or
- modify such order, if the information or records requested are unusually
- voluminous in nature or compliance with such order otherwise would cause
- an undue burden on such provider.
-
-
- (e) No cause of action against a provider disclosing information
- under this chapter.--No cause of action shall lie in any court against any
- provider of wire or electronic communication service, its officers,
- employees, agents, or other specified persons for providing information,
- facilities, or assistance in accordance with the terms of a court order,
- warrant, subpoena, or certification under this chapter.
-
-
- Sec. 2704. Backup preservation
-
-
- (a) Backup preservation.
-
-
- (1) A governmental entity acting under section 2703(b)(2) may include
- in its subpoena or court order a requirement that the service provider to
- whom the request is directed create a backup copy of the contents of the
- electronic communications sought in order to preserve those
- communications. Without notifying the subscriber or customer of such
- subpoena or court order, such service provider shall create such backup
- copy as soon as practicable consistent with its regular business practices
- and shall confirm to the governmental entity that such backup copy has
- been made. Such backup copy shall be created within two business days
- after receipt by the service provider of the subpoena or court order.
-
-
- (2) Notice to the subscriber or customer shall be made by the
- governmental entity within three days after receipt of such confirmation,
- unless such notice is delayed pursuant to section 2705(a).
-
-
- (3) The service provider shall not destroy such backup copy until the
- later of--
-
-
- (A) the delivery of the information; or
-
-
- (B) the resolution of any proceedings (including appeals of any
- proceeding) concerning the government's subpoena or court order.
-
-
- (4) The service provider shall release such backup copy to the
- requesting governmental entity no sooner than fourteen days after the
- governmental entity's notice to the subscriber or customer if such service
- provider--
-
-
- (A) has not received notice from the subscriber or customer that the
- subscriber or customer has challenged the governmental entity's request;
- and
-
-
- (B) has not initiated proceedings to challenge the request of the
- governmental entity.
-
-
- (5) A governmental entity may seek to require the creation of a backup
- copy under subsection (a)(1) of this section if in its sole discretion
- such entity determines that there is reason to believe that notification
- under section 2703 of this title of the existence of the subpoena or court
- order may result in destruction of or tampering with evidence. This
- determination is not subject to challenge by the subscriber or customer or
- service provider.
-
-
- (b) Customer challenges.
-
-
- (1) Within fourteen days after notice by the governmental entity to the
- subscriber or customer under subsection (a)(2) of this section, such
- subscriber or customer may file a motion to quash such subpoena or vacate
- such court order, with copies served upon the governmental entity and with
- written notice of such challenge to the service provider. A motion to
- vacate a court order shall be filed in the court which issued such order.
- A motion to quash a subpoena shall be filed in the appropriate United
- States district court or State court. Such motion or application shall
- contain an affidavit or sworn statement--
-
-
- (A) stating that the applicant is a customer or subscriber to the
- service from which the contents of electronic communications maintained
- for him have been sought; and
-
-
- (B) stating the applicant's reasons for believing that the records
- sought are not relevant to a legitimate law enforcement inquiry or that
- there has not been substantial compliance with the provisions of this
- chapter in some other respect.
-
-
- (2) Service shall be made under this section upon a governmental entity
- by delivering or mailing by registered or certified mail a copy of the
- papers to the person, office, or department specified in the notice which
- the customer has received pursuant to this chapter. For the purposes of
- this section, the term "delivery" has the meaning given that term in the
- Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
-
-
- (3) If the court finds that the customer has complied with paragraphs
- (1) and (2) of this subsection, the court shall order the governmental
- entity to file a sworn response, which may be filed in camera if the
- governmental entity includes in its response the reasons which make in
- camera review appropriate. If the court is unable to determine the motion
- or application on the basis of the parties' initial allegations and
- response, the court may conduct such additional proceedings as it deems
- appropriate. All such proceedings shall be completed and the motion or
- application decided as soon as practicable after the filing of the
- governmental entity's response.
-
-
- (4) If the court finds that the applicant is not the subscriber or
- customer for whom the communications sought by the governmental entity are
- maintained, or that there is a reason to believe that the law enforcement
- inquiry is legitimate and that the communications sought are relevant to
- that inquiry, it shall deny the motion or application and order such
- process enforced. If the court finds that the applicant is the subscriber
- or customer for whom the communications sought by the governmental entity
- are maintained, and that there is not a reason to believe that the
- communications sought are relevant to a legitimate law enforcement
- inquiry, or that there has not been substantial compliance with the
- provisions of this chapter, it shall order the process quashed.
-
-
- (5) A court order denying a motion or application under this section
- shall not be deemed a final order and no interlocutory appeal may be taken
- therefrom by the customer.
-
-
- Sec. 2705. Delayed notice
-
-
- (a) Delay of notification.
-
-
- (1) A governmental entity acting under section 2703(b) of this title
- may--
-
-
- (A) where a court order is sought, include in the application a
- request, which the court shall grant, for an order delaying the
- notification required under section 2703(b) of this title for a period not
- to exceed ninety days, if the court determines that there is reason to
- believe that notification of the existence of the court order may have an
- adverse result described in paragraph (2) of this subsection; or
-
-
- (B) where an administrative subpoena authorized by a Federal or State
- statute or a Federal or State grand jury subpoena is obtained, delay the
- notification required under section 2703(b) of this title for a period not
- to exceed ninety days upon the execution of a written certification of a
- supervisory official that there is reason to believe that notification of
- the existence of the subpoena may have an adverse result described in
- paragraph (2) of this subsection.
-
-
- (2) An adverse result for the purposes of paragraph (1) of this
- subsection is--
-
-
- (A) endangering the life or physical safety of an individual;
-
-
- (B) flight from prosecution;
-
-
- (C) destruction of or tampering with evidence;
-
-
- (D) intimidation of potential witnesses; or
-
-
- (E) otherwise seriously jeopardizing an investigation or unduly
- delaying a trial.
-
-
- (3) The governmental entity shall maintain a true copy of certification
- under paragraph (1)(B).
-
-
- (4) Extensions of the delay of notification provided in section 2703 of
- up to ninety days each may be granted by the court upon application, or by
- certification by a governmental entity, but only in accordance with
- subsection (b) of this section.
-
-
- (5) Upon expiration of the period of delay of notification under
- paragraph (1) or (4) of this subsection, the governmental entity shall
- serve upon, or deliver by registered or first-class mail to, the customer
- or subscriber a copy of the process or request together with notice that--
-
-
- (A) states with reasonable specificity the nature of the law
- enforcement inquiry; and
-
-
- (B) informs such customer or subscriber--
-
-
- (i) that information maintained for such customer or subscriber by the
- service provider named in such process or request was supplied to or
- requested by that governmental authority and the date on which the
- supplying or request took place;
-
-
- (ii) that notification of such customer or subscriber was delayed;
-
-
- (iii) what governmental entity or court made the certification or
- determination pursuant to which that delay was made; and
-
-
- (iv) which provision of this chapter allowed such delay.
-
-
- (6) As used in this subsection, the term "supervisory official" means
- the investigative agent in charge or assistant investigative agent in
- charge or an equivalent of an investigating agency's headquarters or
- regional office, or the chief prosecuting attorney or the first assistant
- prosecuting attorney or an equivalent of a prosecuting attorney's
- headquarters or regional office.
-
-
- (b) Preclusion of notice to subject of governmental access. A
- governmental entity acting under section 2703, when it is not required to
- notify the subscriber or customer under section 2703(b)(1), or to the
- extent that it may delay such notice pursuant to subsection (a) of this
- section, may apply to a court for an order commanding a provider of
- electronic communications service or remote computing service to whom a
- warrant, subpoena, or court order is directed, for such period as the
- court deems appropriate, not to notify any other person of the existence
- of the warrant, subpoena, or court order. The court shall enter such an
- order if it determines that there is reason to believe that notification
- of the existence of the warrant, subpoena, or court order will result in--
-
-
- (1) endangering the life or physical safety of an individual;
-
-
- (2) flight from prosecution;
-
-
- (3) destruction of or tampering with evidence;
-
-
- (4) intimidation of potential witnesses; or
-
-
- (5) otherwise seriously jeopardizing an investigation or unduly
- delaying a trial.
-
-
-
- Sec. 2706. Cost reimbursement
-
-
- (a) Payment. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), a
- governmental entity obtaining the contents of communications, records, or
- other information under section 2702, 2703, or 2704 of this title shall
- pay to the person or entity assembling or providing such information a fee
- for reimbursement for such costs as are reasonably necessary and which
- have been directly incurred in searching for, assembling, reproducing, or
- otherwise providing such information. Such reimbursable costs shall
- include any costs due to necessary disruption of normal operations of any
- electronic communication service or remote computing service in which such
- information may be stored.
-
-
- (b) Amount. The amount of the fee provided by subsection (a) shall be
- as mutually agreed by the governmental entity and the person or entity
- providing the information, or, in the absence of agreement, shall be as
- determined by the court which issued the order for production of such
- information (or the court before which a criminal prosecution relating to
- such information would be brought, if no court order was issued for
- production of the information).
-
-
- (c) Exception. The requirement of subsection (a) of this section does
- not apply with respect to records or other information maintained by a
- communications common carrier that relate to telephone toll records and
- telephone listings obtained under section 2703 of this title. The court
- may, however, order a payment as described in subsection (a) if the court
- determines the information required is unusually voluminous in nature or
- otherwise caused an undue burden on the provider.
-
-
- Sec. 2707. Civil action
-
-
- (a) Cause of action. Except as provided in section 2703(e), any
- provider of electronic communication service, subscriber, or customer
- aggrieved by any violation of this chapter in which the conduct
- constituting the violation is engaged in with a knowing or intentional
- state of mind may, in a civil action, recover from the person or entity
- which engaged in that violation such relief as may be appropriate.
-
-
- (b) Relief. In a civil action under this section, appropriate relief
- includes--
-
-
- (1) such preliminary and other equitable or declaratory relief as may
- be appropriate;
-
-
- (2) damages under subsection (c); and
-
-
- (3) a reasonable attorney's fee and other litigation costs reasonably
- incurred.
-
-
- (c) Damages. The court may assess as damages in a civil action under
- this section the sum of the actual damages suffered by the plaintiff and
- any profits made by the violator as a result of the violation, but in no
- case shall a person entitled to recover receive less than the sum of $
- 1,000.
-
-
- (d) Defense. A good faith reliance on--
-
-
- (1) a court warrant or order, a grand jury subpoena, a legislative
- authorization, or a statutory authorization;
-
-
- (2) a request of an investigative or law enforcement officer under
- section 2518(7) of this title; or
-
-
- (3) a good faith determination that section 2511(3) of this title
- permitted the conduct complained of; is a complete defense to any civil or
- criminal action brought under this chapter or any other law.
-
-
- (e) Limitation. A civil action under this section may not be commenced
- later than two years after the date upon which the claimant first
- discovered or had a reasonable opportunity to discover the violation.
-
-
- Sec. 2708. Exclusivity of remedies
-
-
- The remedies and sanctions described in this chapter are the only
- judicial remedies and sanctions for nonconstitutional violations of this
- chapter.
-
-
- Sec. 2709. Counterintelligence access to telephone toll and
- transactional records
-
-
- (a) Duty to provide. A wire or electronic communication service
- provider shall comply with a request for subscriber information and toll
- billing records information, or electronic communication transactional
- records in its custody or possession made by the Director of the Federal
- Bureau of Investigation under subsection (b) of this section.
-
-
- (b) Required certification. The Director of the Federal Bureau of
- Investigation (or an individual within the Federal Bureau of Investigation
- designated for this purpose by the Director) may request any such
- information and records if the Director (or the Director's designee)
- certifies in writing to the wire or electronic communication service
- provider to which the request is made that--
-
-
- (1) the information sought is relevant to an authorized foreign
- counterintelligence investigation; and
-
-
- (2) there are specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe
- that the person or entity to whom the information sought pertains is a
- foreign power or an agent of a foreign power as defined in section 101 of
- the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801).
-
-
- (c) Prohibition of certain disclosure. No wire or electronic
- communication service provider, or officer, employee, or agent thereof,
- shall disclose to any person that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has
- sought or obtained access to information or records under this section.
-
-
- (d) Dissemination by bureau. The Federal Bureau of Investigation may
- disseminate information and records obtained under this section only as
- provided in guidelines approved by the Attorney General for foreign
- intelligence collection and foreign counterintelligence investigations
- conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and, with respect to
- dissemination to an agency of the United States, only if such information
- is clearly relevant to the authorized responsibilities of such agency.
-
-
- (e) Requirement that certain Congressional bodies be informed. On a
- semiannual basis the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall
- fully inform the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House
- of Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate
- concerning all requests made under subsection (b) of this section.
-
-
- Sec. 2710. Wrongful disclosure of video tape rental or sale records
-
-
- (a) Definitions. For purposes of this section--
-
-
- (1) the term "consumer" means any renter, purchaser, or subscriber of
- goods or services from a video tape service provider;
-
-
- (2) the term "ordinary course of business" means only debt collection
- activities, order fulfillment, request processing, and the transfer of
- ownership;
-
-
- (3) the term "personally identifiable information" includes information
- which identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific video
- materials or services from a video tape service provider; and
-
-
- (4) the term "video tape service provider" means any person, engaged in
- the business, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, of rental,
- sale, or delivery of prerecorded video cassette tapes or similar audio
- visual materials, or any person or other entity to whom a disclosure is
- made under subparagraph (D) or (E) of subsection (b)(2), but only with
- respect to the information contained in the disclosure.
-
-
- (b) Video tape rental and sale records.
-
-
- (1) A video tape service provider who knowingly discloses, to any
- person, personally identifiable information concerning any consumer of
- such provider shall be liable to the aggrieved person for the relief
- provided in subsection (d).
-
-
- (2) A video tape service provider may disclose personally identifiable
- information concerning any consumer--
-
-
- (A) to the consumer;
-
-
- (B) to any person with the informed, written consent of the consumer
- given at the time the disclosure is sought;
-
-
- (C) to a law enforcement agency pursuant to a warrant issued under the
- Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, an equivalent State warrant, a grand
- jury subpoena, or a court order;
-
-
- (D) to any person if the disclosure is solely of the names and
- addresses of consumers and if--
-
-
- (i) the video tape service provider has provided the consumer with the
- opportunity, in a clear and conspicuous manner, to prohibit such
- disclosure; and
-
-
- (ii) the disclosure does not identify the title, description, or
- subject matter of any video tapes or other audio visual material; however,
- the subject matter of such materials may be disclosed if the disclosure is
- for the exclusive use of marketing goods and services directly to the
- consumer;
-
-
- (E) to any person if the disclosure is incident to the ordinary course
- of business of the video tape service provider; or
-
-
- (F) pursuant to a court order, in a civil proceeding upon a showing of
- compelling need for the information that cannot be accommodated by any
- other means, if--
-
-
- (i) the consumer is given reasonable notice, by the person seeking the
- disclosure, of the court proceeding relevant to the issuance of the court
- order; and
-
-
- (ii) the consumer is afforded the opportunity to appear and contest the
- claim of the person seeking the disclosure.
-
-
- If an order is granted pursuant to subparagraph (C) or (F), the court
- shall impose appropriate safeguards against unauthorized disclosure.
-
-
- (3) Court orders authorizing disclosure under subparagraph (C) shall
- issue only with prior notice to the consumer and only if the law
- enforcement agency shows that there is probable cause to believe that the
- records or other information sought are relevant to a legitimate law
- enforcement inquiry. In the case of a State government authority, such a
- court order shall not issue if prohibited by the law of such State. A
- court issuing an order pursuant to this section, on a motion made promptly
- by the video tape service provider, may quash or modify such order if the
- information or records requested are unreasonably voluminous in nature or
- if compliance with such order otherwise would cause an unreasonable burden
- on such provider.
-
-
- (c) Civil action.
-
-
- (1) Any person aggrieved by any act of a person in violation of this
- section may bring a civil action in a United States district court.
-
-
- (2) The court may award--
-
-
- (A) actual damages but not less than liquidated damages in an amount of
- $ 2,500;
-
-
- (B) punitive damages;
-
-
- (C) reasonable attorneys' fees and other litigation costs reasonably
- incurred; and
-
-
- (D) such other preliminary and equitable relief as the court determines
- to be appropriate.
-
-
- (3) No action may be brought under this subsection unless such action
- is begun within 2 years from the date of the act complained of or the date
- of discovery.
-
-
- (4) No liability shall result from lawful disclosure permitted by this
- section.
-
-
- (d) Personally identifiable information. Personally identifiable
- information obtained in any manner other than as provided in this section
- shall not be received in evidence in any trial, hearing, arbitration, or
- other proceeding in or before any court, grand jury, department, officer,
- agency, regulatory body, legislative committee, or other authority of the
- United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State.
-
-
- (e) Destruction of old records. A person subject to this section shall
- destroy personally identifiable information as soon as practicable, but no
- later than one year from the date the information is no longer necessary
- for the purpose for which it was collected and there are no pending
- requests or orders for access to such information under subsection (b)(2)
- or (c)(2) or pursuant to a court order.
-
-
- (f) Preemption. The provisions of this section preempt only the
- provisions of State or local law that require disclosure prohibited by
- this section.
-
-
- Sec. 2711. Definitions for chapter
-
-
- As used in this chapter--
-
-
- (1) the terms defined in section 2510 of this title have, respectively,
- the definitions given such terms in that section; and
-
-
- (2) the term "remote computing service" means the provision to the
- public of computer storage or processing services by means of an
- electronic communications system.
-
-
-
-
-
- TITLE 18. CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
-
-
- PART II. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
-
-
- CHAPTER 206. PEN REGISTERS AND TRAP AND TRACE DEVICES
-
-
- Sec. 3121. General prohibition on pen register and trap and trace device
- use; exception
-
-
- (a) In general. Except as provided in this section, no person may
- install or use a pen register or a trap and trace device without first
- obtaining a court order under section 3123 of this title or under the
- Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.).
-
-
- (b) Exception. The prohibition of subsection (a) does not apply with
- respect to the use of a pen register or a trap and trace device by a
- provider of electronic or wire communication service--
-
-
- (1) relating to the operation, maintenance, and testing of a wire or
- electronic communication service or to the protection of the rights or
- property of such provider, or to the protection of users of that service
- from abuse of service or unlawful use of service; or
-
-
- (2) to record the fact that a wire or electronic communication was
- initiated or completed in order to protect such provider, another provider
- furnishing service toward the completion of the wire communication, or a
- user of that service, from fraudulent, unlawful or abusive use of service;
- or
-
-
- (3) where the consent of the user of that service has been obtained.
-
-
- (c) Penalty. Whoever knowingly violates subsection (a) shall be fined
- under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
-
-
- Sec. 3122. Application for an order for a pen register or a trap and
- trace device
-
-
- (a) Application.
-
-
- (1) An attorney for the Government may make application for an order or
- an extension of an order under section 3123 of this title authorizing or
- approving the installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace
- device under this chapter, in writing under oath or equivalent
- affirmation, to a court of competent jurisdiction.
-
-
- (2) Unless prohibited by State law, a State investigative or law
- enforcement officer may make application for an order or an extension of
- an order under section 3123 of this title authorizing or approving the
- installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device under
- this chapter, in writing under oath or equivalent affirmation, to a court
- of competent jurisdiction of such State.
-
-
- (b) Contents of application. An application under subsection (a) of
- this section shall include--
-
-
- (1) the identity of the attorney for the Government or the State law
- enforcement or investigative officer making the application and the
- identity of the law enforcement agency conducting the investigation; and
-
-
- (2) a certification by the applicant that the information likely to be
- obtained is relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation being conducted
- by that agency.
-
-
- Sec. 3123. Issuance of an order for a pen register or a trap and trace
- device
-
-
- (a) In general. Upon an application made under section 3122 of this
- title, the court shall enter an ex parte order authorizing the
- installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device within
- the jurisdiction of the court if the court finds that the attorney for the
- Government or the State law enforcement or investigative officer has
- certified to the court that the information likely to be obtained by such
- installation and use is relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation.
-
-
- (b) Contents of order. An order issued under this section--
-
-
- (1) shall specify--
-
-
- (A) the identity, if known, of the person to whom is leased or in whose
- name is listed the telephone line to which the pen register or trap and
- trace device is to be attached;
-
-
- (B) the identity, if known, of the person who is the subject of the
- criminal investigation;
-
-
- (C) the number and, if known, physical location of the telephone line
- to which the pen register or trap and trace device is to be attached and,
- in the case of a trap and trace device, the geographic limits of the trap
- and trace order; and
-
-
- (D) a statement of the offense to which the information likely to be
- obtained by the pen register or trap and trace device relates; and
-
-
- (2) shall direct, upon the request of the applicant, the furnishing of
- information, facilities, and technical assistance necessary to accomplish
- the installation of the pen register or trap and trace device under
- section 3124 of this title.
-
-
- (c) Time period and extensions.
-
-
- (1) An order issued under this section shall authorize the installation
- and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device for a period not to
- exceed sixty days.
-
-
- (2) Extensions of such an order may be granted, but only upon an
- application for an order under section 3122 of this title and upon the
- judicial finding required by subsection (a) of this section. The period of
- extension shall be for a period not to exceed sixty days.
-
-
- (d) Nondisclosure of existence of pen register or a trap and trace
- device. An order authorizing or approving the installation and use of a
- pen register or a trap and trace device shall direct that--
-
-
- (1) the order be sealed until otherwise ordered by the court; and
-
-
- (2) the person owning or leasing the line to which the pen register or
- a trap and trace device is attached, or who has been ordered by the court
- to provide assistance to the applicant, not disclose the existence of the
- pen register or trap and trace device or the existence of the
- investigation to the listed subscriber, or to any other person, unless or
- until otherwise ordered by the court.
-
-
- Sec. 3124. Assistance in installation and use of a pen register or a
- trap and trace device
-
-
- (a) Pen registers. Upon the request of an attorney for the government
- or an officer of a law enforcement agency authorized to install and use a
- pen register under this chapter, a provider of wire or electronic
- communication service, landlord, custodian, or other person shall furnish
- such investigative or law enforcement officer forthwith all information,
- facilities, and technical assistance necessary to accomplish the
- installation of the pen register unobtrusively and with a minimum of
- interference with the services that the person so ordered by the court
- accords the party with respect to whom the installation and use is to take
- place, if such assistance is directed by a court order as provided in
- section 3123(b)(2) of this title.
-
-
- (b) Trap and trace device. Upon the request of an attorney for the
- Government or an officer of a law enforcement agency authorized to receive
- the results of a trap and trace device under this chapter, a provider of a
- wire or electronic communication service, landlord, custodian, or other
- person shall install such device forthwith on the appropriate line and
- shall furnish such investigative or law enforcement officer all additional
- information, facilities and technical assistance including installation
- and operation of the device unobtrusively and with a minimum of
- interference with the services that the person so ordered by the court
- accords the party with respect to whom the installation and use is to take
- place, if such installation and assistance is directed by a court order as
- provided in section 3123(b)(2) of this title. Unless otherwise ordered by
- the court, the results of the trap and trace device shall be furnished,
- pursuant to section 3123(b) or section 3125 of this title, to the officer
- of a law enforcement agency, designated in the court order, at reasonable
- intervals during regular business hours for the duration of the order.
-
-
- (c) Compensation. A provider of a wire or electronic communication
- service, landlord, custodian, or other person who furnishes facilities or
- technical assistance pursuant to this section shall be reasonably
- compensated for such reasonable expenses incurred in providing such
- facilities and assistance.
-
-
- (d) No cause of action against a provider disclosing information under
- this chapter. No cause of action shall lie in any court against any
- provider of a wire or electronic communication service, its officers,
- employees, agents, or other specified persons for providing information,
- facilities, or assistance in accordance with the terms of a court order
- under this chapter or request pursuant to section 3125 of this title.
-
-
- (e) Defense. A good faith reliance on a court order under this chapter,
- a request pursuant to section 3125 of this title, a legislative
- authorization, or a statutory authorization is a complete defense against
- any civil or criminal action brought under this chapter or any other law.
-
-
- Sec. 3125. Emergency pen register and trap and trace device installation
-
-
- (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any
- investigative or law enforcement officer, specially designated by the
- Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Associate Attorney
- General, any Assistant Attorney General, any acting Assistant Attorney
- General, or any Deputy Assistant Attorney General, or by the principal
- prosecuting attorney of any State or subdivision thereof acting pursuant
- to a statute of that State, who reasonably determines that--
-
-
- (1) an emergency situation exists that involves--
-
-
- (A) immediate danger of death or serious bodily injury to any person;
- or
-
-
- (B) conspiratorial activities characteristic of organized crime,
-
-
- that requires the installation and use of a pen register or a trap and
- trace device before an order authorizing such installation and use can,
- with due diligence, be obtained, and
-
-
- (2) there are grounds upon which an order could be entered under this
- chapter to authorize such installation and use "may have installed and use
- a pen register or trap and trace device if, within forty-eight hours after
- the installation has occurred, or begins to occur, an order approving the
- installation or use is issued in accordance with section 3123 of this
- title."
-
-
- (b) In the absence of an authorizing order, such use shall immediately
- terminate when the information sought is obtained, when the application
- for the order is denied or when forty-eight hours have lapsed since the
- installation of the pen register or trap and trace device, whichever is
- earlier.
-
-
- (c) The knowing installation or use by any investigative or law
- enforcement officer of a pen register or trap and trace device pursuant to
- subsection (a) without application for the authorizing order within
- forty-eight hours of the installation shall constitute a violation of this
- chapter.
-
-
- (d) A provider for a wire or electronic service, landlord, custodian,
- or other person who furnished facilities or technical assistance pursuant
- to this section shall be reasonably compensated for such reasonable
- expenses incurred in providing such facilities and assistance.
-
-
- Sec. 3126. Reports concerning pen registers and trap and trace devices
-
-
- The Attorney General shall annually report to Congress on the number of
- pen register orders and orders for trap and trace devices applied for by
- law enforcement agencies of the Department of Justice.
-
-
- Sec. 3127. Definitions for chapter
-
-
- As used in this chapter--
-
-
- (1) the terms "wire communication", "electronic communication", and
- "electronic communication service" have the meanings set forth for such
- terms in section 2510 of this title;
-
-
- (2) the term "court of competent jurisdiction" means--
-
-
- (A) a district court of the United States (including a magistrate of
- such a court) or a United States Court of Appeals; or
-
-
- (B) a court of general criminal jurisdiction of a State authorized by
- the law of that State to enter orders authorizing the use of a pen
- register or a trap and trace device;
-
-
- (3) the term "pen register" means a device which records or decodes
- electronic or other impulses which identify the numbers dialed or
- otherwise transmitted on the telephone line to which such device is
- attached, but such term does not include any device used by a provider or
- customer of a wire or electronic communication service for billing, or
- recording as an incident to billing, for communications services provided
- by such provider or any device used by a provider or customer of a wire
- communication service for cost accounting or other like purposes in the
- ordinary course of its business;
-
-
- (4) the term "trap and trace device" means a device which captures the
- incoming electronic or other impulses which identify the originating
- number of an instrument or device from which a wire or electronic
- communication was transmitted;
-
-
- (5) the term "attorney for the Government" has the meaning given such
- term for the purposes of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure; and
-
-
- (6) the term "State" means a State, the District of Columbia, Puerto
- Rico, and any other possession or territory of the United States.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-