California legal term
Trap and trace device in California Criminal Law
Current through 2026 California legislative session
In California criminal law, “Trap and trace device” 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 “Trap and trace device” mean in California criminal law?
“Trap and trace device” means a device or process that captures the incoming electronic or other impulses that identify the originating number or other dialing, routing, addressing, or signaling information reasonably likely to identify the source of a wire or electronic communication, but not the contents of a communication. (Cal. Penal Code § 638.50)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.