§3127. Definitions for chapter

As used in this chapter-

(1) the terms "wire communication", "electronic communication", and "electronic communication service" have the meanings set forth for such terms in section 2510 of this title;

(2) the term "court of competent jurisdiction" means-

(A) a district court of the United States (including a magistrate of such a court) or a United States Court of Appeals; or

(B) a court of general criminal jurisdiction of a State authorized by the law of that State to enter orders authorizing the use of a pen register or a trap and trace device;

(3) the term "pen register" means a device which records or decodes electronic or other impulses which identify the numbers dialed or otherwise transmitted on the telephone line to which such device is attached, but such term does not include any device used by a provider or customer of a wire or electronic communication service for billing, or recording as an incident to billing, for communications services provided by such provider or any device used by a provider or customer of a wire communication service for cost accounting or other like purposes in the ordinary course of its business;

(4) the term "trap and trace device" means a device which captures the incoming electronic or other impulses which identify the originating number of an instrument or device from which a wire or electronic communication was transmitted;

(5) the term "attorney for the Government" has the meaning given such term for the purposes of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure; and

(6) the term "State" means a State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any other possession or territory of the United States.

(Added Pub. L. 99–508, title III, §301(a), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1871 , §3126; renumbered §3127, Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, §7092(a)(1), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4410 .)

References in Text

The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, referred to in par. (5), are set out in the Appendix to this title.

Amendments

1988-Pub. L. 100–690 renumbered section 3126 of this title as this section.

Change of Name

Reference to United States magistrate or to magistrate deemed to refer to United States magistrate judge pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 2703 of this title; title 47 section 1002; title 50 section 1841.