Pennsylvania § 5745 - Delayed notice.

§ 5745. Delayed notice.

(a) Delay of notification.--

(1) An investigative or law enforcement officer acting under section 5743(b) (relating to requirements for governmental access) may:

(i) where a court order is sought, include in the application a request for an order delaying the notification required under section 5743(b) for a period not to exceed 90 days, which request the court shall grant if it 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); or

(ii) where an administrative subpoena authorized by a statute or a grand jury subpoena is obtained, delay the notification required under section 5743(b) for a period not to exceed 90 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).

(2) An adverse result for the purposes of paragraph (1) is:

(i) endangering the life or physical safety of an individual;

(ii) flight from prosecution;

(iii) destruction of or tampering with evidence;

(iv) intimidation of potential witnesses; or

(v) otherwise seriously jeopardizing an investigation or unduly delaying a trial.

(3) The investigative or law enforcement officer shall maintain a true copy of a certification under paragraph (1)(ii).

(4) Extensions of the delay of notification provided for in section 5743 of up to 90 days each may be granted by the court upon application or by certification by a supervisory official in the case of an administrative or grand jury subpoena.

(5) Upon expiration of the period of delay of notification under paragraph (1) or (4), the investigative or law enforcement officer 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 which:

(i) states with reasonable specificity the nature of the investigative or law enforcement inquiry; and

(ii) informs the customer or subscriber:

(A) that information maintained for the customer or subscriber by the service provider named in the process or request was supplied to or requested by the investigative or law enforcement officer and the date on which the supplying or request took place;

(B) that notification of the customer or subscriber was delayed;

(C) the identity of the investigative or law enforcement officer or the court which made the certification or determination pursuant to which that delay was made; and

(D) which provision of this subchapter authorizes the delay.

(6) As used in this subsection, the term "supervisory official" means the investigative agent or assistant investigative agent in charge, or an equivalent, of an investigative or law enforcement 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.--An investigative or law enforcement officer acting under section 5743, when he is not required to notify the subscriber or customer under section 5743(b)(1), or to the extent that it may delay such notice pursuant to subsection (a), may apply to a court for an order commanding a provider of electronic communication service or remote computing service to whom a warrant, subpoena or court order is directed, not to notify any other person of the existence of the warrant, subpoena or court order for such period as the court deems appropriate. 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 result 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 a potential witness; or

(5) otherwise seriously jeopardizing an investigation or unduly delaying a trial.

Cross References. Section 5745 is referred to in sections 5743, 5744 of this title.