California legal term
Electronic mail in California Criminal Law
Current through 2026 California legislative session
In California criminal law, “Electronic mail” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the California criminal code.
What does “Electronic mail” mean in California criminal law?
“Electronic mail” means an electronic message or computer file that is transmitted between two or more telecommunications devices; computers; computer networks, regardless of whether the network is a local, regional, or global network; or electronic devices capable of receiving electronic messages, regardless of whether the message is converted to hard copy format after receipt, viewed upon transmission, or stored for later retrieval. (Cal. Penal Code § 502)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.