Pen. Code, § 638.53 · Chapter 1.5. Invasion of Privacy
Pen. Code, § 638.53
Text — As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, upon an oral application by a peace officer, a magistrate may grant oral approval for the installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device, without an order, if he or she determines all of the following:
(1) There are grounds upon which an order could be issued under Section 638.52.
(2) There is probable cause to believe that an emergency situation exists with respect to the investigation of a crime.
(3) There is probable cause to believe that a substantial danger to life or limb exists justifying the authorization for immediate installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device before an order authorizing the installation and use can, with due diligence, be submitted and acted upon.
(b) (1) By midnight of the second full court day after the pen register or trap and trace device is installed, a written application pursuant to Section 638.52 shall be submitted by the peace officer who made the oral application to the magistrate who orally approved the installation and use of a pen register or trap and trace device. If an order is issued pursuant to Section 638.52, the order shall also recite the time of the oral approval under subdivision (a) and shall be retroactive to the time of the original oral approval.
(2) In the absence of an authorizing order pursuant to paragraph (1), the use shall immediately terminate when the information sought is obtained, when the application for the order is denied, or by midnight of the second full court day after the pen register or trap and trace device is installed, whichever is earlier.
(c) A provider of a wire or electronic communication service, landlord, custodian, or other person who provides facilities or technical assistance pursuant to this section shall be reasonably compensated by the requesting peace officer’s law enforcement agency for the reasonable expenses incurred in providing the facilities and assistance.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 204, Sec. 4. (AB 929) Effective January 1, 2016.
Source of truth
- Edition
- As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
- Official file
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=638.53.
- Text hash
- sha256 d18cfa0dba3482b628a0d5fc98d906df000b2107161917269437bc47693bc5e6
- Composed by
- compose_ca.py 2026-10-22: the Legislative Counsel's CAML content files read by a tokenizer (caml_readers.reader_a); an independent xml.etree reading (caml_readers.reader_b) agrees on every section
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