Any person whose wire or electronic communication is intercepted, disclosed, or used in violation of this chapter shall have the following remedies:

(a) Have a civil cause of action against any person who intercepts, discloses, or uses, or procures any other person to intercept, disclose, or use, the communications.

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Terms Used In California Penal Code 629.86

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Penal Code 7

(b) Be entitled to recover, in that action, all of the following:

(1) Actual damages but not less than liquidated damages computed at the rate of one hundred dollars ($100) a day for each day of violation or one thousand dollars ($1,000), whichever is greater.

(2) Punitive damages.

(3) Reasonable attorney’s fees and other litigation costs reasonably incurred.

A good faith reliance on a court order is a complete defense to any civil or criminal action brought under this chapter, or under Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 630) or any other law.

(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 707, Sec. 20. (SB 1428) Effective January 1, 2011. Repealed as of January 1, 2030, pursuant to Section 629.98.)