Legislative and Judicial Update

Cellular Communications
A bill (S.493) making it easier to prosecute cases of cellular telephone fraud was approved by legislators and signed into law (P.L. 105-172) by the president.  The law clarifies existing statutes, establishing that there is no lawful reason to produce, possess, or sell hardware known as copycat boxes or software used to clone a cellular phone or its electronic serial number.  Prosecutors  no longer have to prove that a person owning or selling this cloning equipment had an intent to defraud.