Which statute pertains to criminal investigations?

• A. 18 U.S.C. § 2702
• B. 18 U.S.C. § 2703
• C. 18 U.S.C. § 2706
• D. 18 U.S.C. § 2710

Answer: (B)

When investigators need electronic records for a criminal case, a clear legal process governs how they access those records from service providers. 18 U.S.C. § 2703 provides that process, laying out the procedures for obtaining stored communications and transactional data during investigations. It sits within the Stored Communications Act as part of how the government can lawfully request content from providers while balancing privacy rights, including the types of orders that can be used and the protections involved.

This makes it the most directly relevant statute for criminal investigations. The other sections address different privacy and disclosure rules in related contexts—how providers may disclose information or handle other privacy protections—but they do not lay out the primary process investigators use to obtain stored electronic records.