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FEDERAL RULES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

Rule 41. Search and Seizure

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(b) Authority to Issue a Warrant. At the request of a

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federal law enforcement officer or an attorney for the

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government:

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(6) a magistrate judge with authority in any district

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where activities related to a crime may have

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occurred has authority to issue a warrant to use

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remote access to search electronic storage media

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and to seize or copy electronically stored

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information located within or outside that district

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if:

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(A) the district where the media or information

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is located has been concealed through

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technological means; or

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(B) in an investigation of a violation of

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18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(5), the media are

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protected

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damaged without authorization and are

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located in five or more districts.

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computers

that

have

been

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(f)

Executing and Returning the Warrant.
(1) Warrant to Search for and Seize a Person or
Property.
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(C) Receipt. The officer executing the warrant

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must give a copy of the warrant and a

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receipt for the property taken to the person

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from whom, or from whose premises, the

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property was taken or leave a copy of the

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warrant and receipt at the place where the

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officer took the property. For a warrant to

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FEDERAL RULES OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

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use remote access to search electronic

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storage

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electronically

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officer must make reasonable efforts to

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serve a copy of the warrant on the person

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whose property was searched or whose

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information was seized or copied. Service

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may be accomplished by any means,

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including electronic means, reasonably

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calculated to reach that person.

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media

and
stored

seize

or

information,

copy
the

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Committee Note
Subdivision (b)(6). The amendment provides that
in two specific circumstances a magistrate judge in a
district where activities related to a crime may have
occurred has authority to issue a warrant to use remote
access to search electronic storage media and seize or copy
electronically stored information even when that media or
information is or may be located outside of the district.

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First, subparagraph (b)(6)(A) provides authority to
issue a warrant to use remote access within or outside that
district when the district in which the media or information
is located is not known because of the use of technology
such as anonymizing software.
Second, (b)(6)(B) allows a warrant to use remote
access within or outside the district in an investigation of a
violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(5) if the media to be
searched are protected computers that have been damaged
without authorization, and they are located in many
districts. Criminal activity under 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(5)
(such as the creation and control of “botnets”) may target
multiple computers in several districts. In investigations of
this nature, the amendment would eliminate the burden of
attempting to secure multiple warrants in numerous
districts, and allow a single judge to oversee the
investigation.
As used in this rule, the terms “protected computer”
and “damage” have the meaning provided in 18 U.S.C.
§1030(e)(2) & (8).
The amendment does not address constitutional
questions, such as the specificity of description that the
Fourth Amendment may require in a warrant for remotely
searching electronic storage media or seizing or copying
electronically stored information, leaving the application of
this and other constitutional standards to ongoing case law
development.
Subdivision (f)(1)(C). The amendment is intended
to ensure that reasonable efforts are made to provide notice

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of the search, seizure, or copying to the person whose
information was seized or copied or whose
property was searched.

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