Tex. Est. Code § 2001.101 · Subchapter C. PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF DIGITAL ASSETS OF DECEASED USER
DISCLOSURE OF CONTENT OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS OF DECEASED USER.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) If a deceased user consented to or a court directs disclosure of the content of an electronic communication of the user, the custodian shall disclose to the personal representative of the estate of the user the content of an electronic communication sent or received by the user if the representative gives the custodian:
(1) a written request for disclosure in physical or electronic form;
(2) a certified copy of the death certificate of the user;
(3) a certified copy of letters testamentary or of administration, a small estate affidavit filed under Section 205.001, or other court order; and
(4) unless the user provided direction using an online tool, a copy of the user's will, trust, power of attorney, or other record evidencing the user's consent to disclosure of the content of an electronic communication if the user consented to the disclosure.
(b) In addition to the items required to be given to the custodian under Subsection (a), the personal representative shall provide the following if requested by the custodian:
(1) a number, user name, address, or other unique subscriber or account identifier assigned by the custodian to identify the deceased user's account;
(2) evidence linking the account to the user; or
(3) a finding by the court that:
(A) the deceased user had a specific account with the custodian, identifiable by the information specified in Subdivision (1);
(B) disclosure of the content of an electronic communication of the user would not violate 18 U.S.C. Section 2701 et seq., 47 U.S.C. Section 222, or other applicable law;
(C) unless the user provided direction using an online tool, the user consented to disclosure of the content of an electronic communication; or
(D) disclosure of the content of an electronic communication of the user is reasonably necessary for administration of the estate.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 400 (S.B. 1193), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ES/htm/ES.2001.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 4708016a0d71ddc32d06ce5112a920b19e92eab7f66b4b47995e839bfd983192
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
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