2021 Delaware Code
Title 12 - Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations
Chapter 50. Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets and Digital Accounts
§ 5006. Custodian immunity.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section:
(1) A custodian shall accept a valid written request that complies on its face with the requirements of § 5005 of this title;
(2) A custodian shall accept a valid written request that is originally written in English or is translated into English, under oath of the translator.
(b) A custodian is not required to accept a valid written request if:
(1) The custodian is not otherwise required to engage in a transaction with the account holder in the same circumstances;
(2) Engaging in a transaction with the fiduciary or the account holder in the same circumstances would be inconsistent with applicable state or federal law, including copyright law, or regulations or any end user license agreement; or
(3) The custodian has actual knowledge that the fiduciary does not have the authority to perform the act requested.
(c) A custodian that in good faith accepts a valid written request without actual knowledge that it is void, invalid, or terminated, that the purported fiduciary's authority is void, invalid, or terminated, or that the fiduciary is exceeding or improperly exercising the fiduciary's authority may rely upon such valid written request as if it were genuine, valid and still in effect, the fiduciary's authority were genuine, valid and still in effect, and the fiduciary had not exceeded and had properly exercised the authority.
(d) For purposes of this section, a custodian that conducts activities through employees is without actual knowledge of a fact relating to a valid written request, an account holder, or a fiduciary if the employee conducting the transaction involving the valid written request is without actual knowledge of the fact. Notification of revocation of a valid written request by an account holder or fiduciary to an officer of any custodian shall constitute actual notice to all employees.
(e) A custodian that refuses in violation of this section to accept a valid written request from a fiduciary that complies with § 5005(c) of this title is subject to:
(1) A court order compelling compliance with the valid written request; and
(2) Liability for damages, including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, incurred in any action or proceeding that confirms the validity or authority of a fiduciary to act, or compels acceptance of the fiduciary's valid written request under § 5005(c) of this title.
(f) A custodian acting in good faith is immune from liability for an action done in compliance with this chapter.
(g) A custodian acting in good faith is immune from civil liability for the custodian's accidental destruction of any digital asset or digital account subject to this chapter.
79 Del. Laws, c. 416, § 1;
