2A:156A-31. Cost reimbursement

25. Cost reimbursement.

a. Except as otherwise provided in subsection c. of this section, a law enforcement agency obtaining the contents of communications, records or other information under section 22, 23 or 24 of P.L.1993, c.29 (C.2A:156A-28, C.2A:156A-29 or C.2A:156A-30) shall reimburse the person or provider for such costs as are reasonably necessary and which have been directly incurred in searching for, assembling, reproducing and otherwise providing the information. Reimbursable costs shall include, but shall not be limited to, any costs due to necessary disruption of normal operations of any electronic communication service or remote computing service in which the information may be stored.

b. The amount of the reimbursement provided for in subsection a. of this section shall be as mutually agreed upon by a law enforcement agency and the service provider. In the absence of agreement, reimbursement shall be determined by the court which issued the order for production of the information or, if no court order was issued, then by the court before which a criminal prosecution relating to the information would be brought.

c. The requirement of subsection a. of this section does not apply with respect to records or other information maintained by a provider of wire or electronic communication service which relates to telephone toll records and telephone listings obtained under section 23 of P.L.1993, c.29 (C.2A:156A-29). The court may, however, order reimbursement as described in subsection a. of this section if the court determines the information required is voluminous or otherwise causes an undue burden on the provider.

L.1993,c.29,s.25.