Florida Statutes 934.31 – General prohibition on pen register and trap and trace device use; exception
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(1) 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 s. 934.33.
(2) The prohibition of subsection (1) 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:
For details, see Fla. Stat. § 775.082(4)(a)
(a) Which relates to the operation, maintenance, and testing of a wire or electronic communication service or to the protection of the rights or property of the provider or to the protection of users of that service from abuse of service or unlawful use of service;
Attorney's Note
Under the Florida Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| misdemeanor of the first degree | up to 1 year | up to $1,000 |
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 934.31
- Contents: when used with respect to any wire, oral, or electronic communication, includes any information concerning the substance, purport, or meaning of that communication. See Florida Statutes 934.02
- 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 intrastate, interstate, or foreign commerce, but does not include:(a) Any wire or oral communication;(b) Any communication made through a tone-only paging device;(c) Any communication from an electronic or mechanical device which permits the tracking of the movement of a person or an object; or(d) Electronic funds transfer information stored by a financial institution in a communications system used for the electronic storage and transfer of funds. See Florida Statutes 934.02
- Investigative or law enforcement officer: means any officer of the State of Florida or political subdivision thereof, of the United States, or of any other state or political subdivision thereof, who is empowered by law to conduct on behalf of the Government investigations of, or to make arrests for, offenses enumerated in this chapter or similar federal offenses, any attorney authorized by law to prosecute or participate in the prosecution of such offenses, or any other attorney representing the State of Florida or political subdivision thereof in any civil, regulatory, disciplinary, or forfeiture action relating to, based upon, or derived from such offenses. See Florida Statutes 934.02
- Pen register: means a device or process that records or decodes dialing, routing, addressing, or signaling information transmitted by an instrument or facility from which a wire or electronic communication is transmitted, but such information does not include the contents of any communication. See Florida Statutes 934.02
- Person: means any employee or agent of the State of Florida or political subdivision thereof, of the United States, or of any other state or political subdivision thereof, and any individual, partnership, association, joint stock company, trust, or corporation. See Florida Statutes 934.02
- State: means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other possession or territory of the United States. See Florida Statutes 934.02
- Trap and trace device: means a device or process that captures the incoming electronic or other impulses that identify the originating number or other dialing, routing, addressing, or signaling information reasonably likely to identify the source of a wire or electronic communication, but such information does not include the contents of any communication. See Florida Statutes 934.02
- 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. See Florida Statutes 934.02- 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 intrastate, interstate, or foreign communications or communications affecting intrastate, interstate, or foreign commerce. See Florida Statutes 934.02
(b) To record the fact that a wire or electronic communication was initiated or completed in order to protect the provider thereof, another provider furnishing service toward the completion of the wire communication, or a user of the service, from fraudulent, unlawful, or abusive use of service; or(c) Where the consent of the user of the service has been obtained.(3) An investigative or law enforcement officer authorized to install and use a pen register or trap and trace device under this section and ss. 934.32–934.34 shall use technology reasonably available to him or her which restricts the recording or decoding of electronic or other impulses to the dialing, routing, addressing, and signaling information used in processing and transmitting wire or electronic communications so that the contents of any wire or electronic communications are not recorded or decoded.(4)(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, any investigative or law enforcement officer specially designated by the Governor, the Attorney General, the statewide prosecutor, or a state attorney acting pursuant to this chapter, who reasonably determines that:1. An emergency exists which:a. Involves immediate danger of death or serious physical injury to any person or the danger of escape of a prisoner; andb. Requires the installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device before an order authorizing such installation and use can, with due diligence, be obtained; and2. There are grounds upon which an order could be entered under this chapter to authorize such installation and use,may have installed and use a pen register or trap and trace device if, within 48 hours after the installation has occurred or begins to occur, an order approving the installation or use is issued in accordance with s. 934.33.
(b) In the absence of an authorizing order, such use shall immediately terminate when the information sought is obtained, when the application for the order is denied, or when 48 hours have lapsed since the installation of the pen register or trap and trace device, whichever is earlier.(c) The knowing installation or use by any investigative or law enforcement officer of a pen register or trap and trace device pursuant to paragraph (a) without application for the authorizing order within 48 hours after the installation constitutes a violation of this section.(d) A provider of wire or electronic service, landlord, custodian, or other person who has furnished facilities or technical assistance pursuant to this subsection shall be held harmless from any claims and civil liability resulting from the disclosure of information pursuant to this subsection and shall be reasonably compensated for reasonable expenses incurred in providing such facilities and assistance.