Definitions.

Checkout our iOS App for a better way to browser and research.

As used in this chapter:

(1) “Account holder” means a decedent, a disabled person pursuant to Chapter 39 of this title, a principal of a durable personal power of attorney pursuant to Chapter 49A of this title, a settlor of a trust which was revocable until the time of the settlor's death or incapacity, or a trust, whether or not revocable, that invokes this chapter.

(2) “Catalogue of electronic communications” means information that identifies each person with which an account holder has had an electronic communication, the time and date of the communication, and the electronic address of the person.

(3) “Content of an electronic communication” means information not readily accessible to the public concerning the substance or meaning of an electronic communication.

(4) “Court” means the Court of Chancery for the State.

(5) “Custodian” means a person that electronically stores digital assets or digital accounts of an account holder or otherwise has control over digital assets or digital accounts of the account holder. “Custodian” includes an electronic communication service, as the term is defined by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2510, and a remote computing service, as the term is defined by the Stored Communications Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2711.

(6) “Digital account” means an electronic system for creating, generating, sending, sharing, communicating, receiving, storing, displaying, or processing information which provides access to a digital asset which currently exist or may exist as technology develops or such comparable items as technology develops, stored on any type of digital device, regardless of the ownership of the digital device upon which the digital asset is stored, including but not in any way limited to, email accounts, social network accounts, social media accounts, file sharing accounts, health insurance accounts, health-care accounts, financial management accounts, domain registration accounts, domain name service accounts, web hosting accounts, tax preparation service accounts, online store accounts and affiliate programs thereto, and other online accounts which currently exist or may exist as technology develops or such comparable items as technology develops.

(7) “Digital asset” means data, text, emails, documents, audio, video, images, sounds, social media content, social networking content, codes, health care records, health insurance records, computer source codes, computer programs, software, software licenses, databases, or the like, including the usernames and passwords, created, generated, sent, communicated, shared, received, or stored by electronic means on a digital device. “Digital asset” does not include an underlying asset or liability that is governed under other provisions of this title.

(8) “Digital device” means an electronic device that can create, generate, send, share, communicate, receive, store, display, or process information, and such electronic devices shall include, but not limited to, desktops, laptops, tablets, peripherals, servers, mobile telephones, smartphones, and any similar storage device which currently exists or may exist as technology develops or such comparable items as technology develops.

(9) “Electronic” means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities.

(10) “End user license agreement” means an agreement between an account holder and a custodian establishing the rights and responsibilities of each. The term includes a terms-of-use agreement, terms-of-service agreement, privacy policy, terms and conditions, and license agreement.

(11) “Fiduciary” includes a personal representative appointed by the Register of Wills, a guardian appointed pursuant to Chapter 39 of this title, an agent under a durable personal power of attorney pursuant to Chapter 49A of this title, a trustee, or an adviser pursuant to § 3313 of this title.

(12) “Good faith” means honesty in fact.

(13) “Governing instrument” means a will, trust, a durable personal power of attorney pursuant to Chapter 49 or Chapter 49A of this title, order appointing a guardian over the property of the account holder, or other dispositive, appointive, or nominative instrument of any similar type.

(14) “Person” means an individual, corporation, statutory trust, estate, trust, partnership (general or limited), limited liability company, association, joint venture, business or nonprofit entity, public corporation, government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity.

(15) “Valid written request” means a request made by a fiduciary with authority over the digital assets or digital accounts of another person that complies on its face with the requirements of § 5005 of this title.


Download our app to see the most-to-date content.