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- TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
-
- PART I. CRIMES
-
- Chapter Sec.
-
- General provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
-
- 119. Wire and electronic communications interception and interception of
- oral communications 2510
-
- 121. Stored Wire and Electronic Communications and Transactional Records
- Access 2701
-
-
- PART II. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
-
- 201. General provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3001
-
- 206. Pen Registers and Trap and Trace Devices . . . . . . 3121
-
-
- CHAPTER 65 - MALICIOUS MISCHIEF
-
- Sec.
-
- 1367. Interference with the operation of a satellite.
-
-
-
- _ 1367. Interference with the operation of a satellite
-
- (a) Whoever, without the authority of the satellite operator,
- intentionally or maliciously interferes with the authorized
- operation of a communications or weather satellite or obstructs
- or hinders any satellite transmission shall be fined in
- accordance with this title or imprisoned not more than ten years
- of both.
-
- (b) This section does not prohibit any lawfully authorized
- investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of a law
- enforcement agency or of an intelligence agency of the United
- States.
-
-
-
- CHAPTER 109 - SEARCHES AND SEIZURES
-
-
- _ 2232. Destruction or removal of property to prevent seizure
- (a) Physical Interference With Search. -- Whoever, before, during, or
- after seizure of any property by any person authorized to make
- searches and seizures, in order to prevent the seizure or
- securing of any goods, wares, or merchandise by such person,
- staves, breaks, throws overboard, destroys, or removes the same,
- shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned more than five
- years, or both.
-
- (b) Notice of Search. -- Whoever, having knowledge that any person
- authorized to make searches and seizures has been authorized or
- is otherwise likely to make a search or seizure, in order to
- prevent the authorized seizing or securing of any person, goods,
- wares, merchandise or other property, gives notice or attempts to
- give notice of the possible search or seizure to any person shall
- be fined not more than $100,000 or imprisoned not more than five
- years, or both.
-
- (c) Notice of Certain Electronic Surveillance. -- Whoever, having
- knowledge that a Federal investigative or law enforcement officer
- has been authorized or has applied for authorization under
- chapter 119 to intercept a wire, oral, or electronic
- communication, in order to obstruct, impede, or prevent such
- interception, gives notice or attempts to give notice of the
- possible interception to any person shall be fined under this
- title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
-
- Whoever, having knowledge that a Federal officer has been
- authorized or has applied for authorization to conduct electronic
- surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (50
- U.S.C. 1801, et seq.), in order to obstruct, impede, or prevent
- such activity, gives notice or attempts to give notice of the
- possible activity to any person shall be fined under this title
- or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
-
-
- * * *
-
-
- CHAPTER 119 -- WIRE AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
- INTERCEPTION AND INTERCEPTION OF ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
-
- Sec.
-
- 2510. Definitions.
- 2511. Interception and disclosure of wire or oral communications
- prohibited.
- 2512. Manufacture, distribution, possession, and advertising of wire or
- oral communication intercepting devices prohibited.
- 2513. Confiscation of wire, oral, or electronic communication
- intercepting devices.
- 2514. Immunity of witnesses.
- 2515. Prohibition of use as evidence of intercepted wire, oral, or
- electronic communications.
- 2516. Authorization for interception of wire, oral, or electronic
- communications.
- 2517. Authorization for disclosure and use of intercepted wire, oral, or
- electronic communications.
- 2518. Procedure for interception of wire, oral, or electronic
- communications.
- 2519. Reports concerning intercepted wire, oral or electronic
- communications.
- 2520. Recovery of civil damages authorized.
- 2521. Injunction against illegal interception.
-
-
-
- _ 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 communications common carrier 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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 have 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 a court order or
- certification under this chapter, 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 an order or certification
- under this subparagraph.
-
- (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, oral, or
- electronic 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 and oral 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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 communications
- 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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.
-
-
-
-
- _ 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.
-
-
-
- _ 2516. Authorization for interception of wire, oral, or electronic
- communications
-
- (1) The Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, Associate Attorney
- General, 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 of 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 murders, 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 224 (bribery in sporting contests),
- subsection (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), or (i) of section 844
- (unlawful use of explosives), section 1084 (transmission of
- wagering information), section 751 (relating to escape),
- 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,
- kidnapping, 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 1952A (relating to use of interstate
- commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire),
- section 1952B (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
- 2252 or 2253 (sexual exploitation of children), sections
- 2251 and 2252 (sexual exploitation of children), sections
- 2312, 2313, 2314, and 2315 (interstate transportation of
- stolen property), the second section 2320 (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), the section in
- chapter 65 relating to destruction of an energy facility,
- and section 1341 (relating to mail fraud), section 351
- (violations with respect to congressional, Cabinet, or
- Supreme Court assassinations, kidnapping, and assault),
- section 831 (relating to prohibited transactions involving
- nuclear materials), section 33 (relating to destruction of
- motor vehicles or motor vehicle facilities), 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 violation of section 1679a(c)(2) (relating to
- destruction of a natural gas pipeline) or subsection (i) or
- (n) of section 1472 (relating to aircraft piracy) of title
- 49, of the United States Code;
-
- (j) any criminal violation of section 2778 of title 22 (relating
- to the Arms Export Control Act); or
-
- (k) the location of any fugitive from justice from an offense
- described in this section;
-
- (l) any conspiracy to commit any of the foregoing offenses.
-
- (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, oral,
- or electronic 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, oral, or
- electronic 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, or order authorizing or approving the
- interception of electronic communications by an investigative or
- law enforcement officer having responsibility for the
- investigation of the offense to which the application is made,
- when such interception may provide or has provided evidence of
- any Federal felony.
-
-
-
- _ 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 any 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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 brief 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 chpater 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, and 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 then 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, oral, or electronic 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, oral, or electronic 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 --
-
- (iv) 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;
-
- (v) 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
-
- (vi) 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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 $1,000.
-
- (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.
-
-
-
- _ 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.
- 2702. Disclosure of contents.
- 2703. Requirements for governmental access.
- 2704. Backup preservation.
- 2705. Delayed notice.
- 2706. Cost reimbursement.
- 2707. Civil action.
- 2708. Exclusivity of remedies.
- 2709. Counterintelligence access to telephone toll and
- transactional records.
- 2710. Definitions
-
-
-
- 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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 2516, 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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
- communication 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 COMMUNICATION 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.
-
-
-
-
- _ 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 Unites 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) an (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 approriate. 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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 results 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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) 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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.
-
-
-
-
- _ 2710. 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.
-
-
-
- CHAPTER 205-SEARCHES AND SEIZURES
-
- Sec. 3101. Effect of rules of court--Rules
-
- 3117. Mobile tracking devices.
-
-
-
- _ 3117. Mobile tracking devices
-
- (a). IN GENERAL.--If a court is empowered to ussue a warrant or other
- order for the installation of a mobile tracking device, such
- order may authorize the use of that device within the
- jurisdiction of the court, and outside that jurisdiction if the
- device is installed in that jurisdiction.
-
- (b). DEFINITION.--As used in this section, the term "tracking device"
- means an electronic or mechanical device which permits the
- tracking of the movement of a person or object.
-
-
-
- CHAPTER 206-PEN REGISTERS AND TRAP TRACE DEVICES
-
- Sec.
-
- 3121. General prohibition on pen register on trap and trace device use;
- exception.
-
- 3122. Application for an order for a pen register or a trap and trace
- device.
-
- 3123. Issuance of an order for a pen register or a trap or trace
- device.
-
- 3124. Assistance in installation and use of a pen register or a trap
- and trace device.
-
- 3125. Reports concerning pen registers and trap and trace devices.
-
- 3126. Definitions for chapter.
-
-
-
- _ 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 with the consent of the user of that service.
-
- (c) Penalty.-Whoever knowingly violates subsection (a) shall be fined
- under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
-
-
-
- _ 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 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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.
-
-
-
- _ 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 to
- the officer of a law enforcement agency, designated in the court,
- 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.
-
- (e) Defense.-A good faith reliance on a court order, 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.
-
-
-
- _ 3125. 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.
-
-
-
- _ 3126. Definitions for chapter
-
- As used in this chapter-
-
- (1) the terms "wire communication", "electronic communiation", 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.
-