Washington legal term
Electronic communication in Washington Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Washington legislative session
In Washington criminal law, “Electronic communication” 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 Washington criminal code.
What does “Electronic communication” mean in Washington criminal law?
"Electronic communication" means any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic, or photo-optical system, but does not include: (i) Any wire or oral communication; (ii) Any communication made through a tone-only paging device; or (iii) Any communication from a tracking device, but solely to the extent the tracking device is owned by the applicable law enforcement agency. (RCW 9.73.260)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.