California Penal Code

§ 593e

PEN § 593e Effective Jan 1, 2002Title 13 · Part 1 · Ch. 15

Statute text

(a)Every person who knowingly and willfully makes or maintains an unauthorized connection or connections, whether physically, electrically, or inductively, or purchases, possesses, attaches, causes to be attached, assists others in or maintains the attachment of any unauthorized device or devices to a television set or to other equipment designed to receive a television broadcast or transmission, or makes or maintains any modification or alteration to any device installed with the authorization of a subscription television system, for the purpose of intercepting, receiving, or using any program or other service carried by the subscription television system which the person is not authorized by that subscription television system to receive or use, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding 90 days, or by both that fine and imprisonment. For the purposes of this section, each purchase, possession, connection, attachment or modification shall constitute a separate violation of this section.

(b)Every person who, without the express authorization of a subscription television system, knowingly and willfully manufactures, imports into this state, assembles, distributes, sells, offers to sell, possesses, advertises for sale, or otherwise provides any device, any plan, or any kit for a device or for a printed circuit, designed in whole or in part to decode, descramble, intercept, or otherwise make intelligible any encoded, scrambled, or other nonstandard signal carried by that subscription television system, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail, or by both that fine and imprisonment. A second or subsequent conviction is punishable by a fine not exceeding twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or by imprisonment in a county jail for up to one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(c)Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision (a) shall be liable to the subscription television system for civil damages in the amount of the value of the connection and subscription fees service actually charged by the subscription television system for the period of unauthorized use according to proof. Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision (b) shall be liable to the subscription television system at the election of the subscription television system for either of the following amounts:

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Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 854, Sec. 32. Effective January 1, 2002.