U.S. Supreme Court decision (1/23/2012).
GPS Tracking and Cyber Law
In a case decided yesterday, the US Supreme Court unanimously held in U.S. v.Jones that GPS surveillance requires a warrant. The Court said that “…the Government’s attachment of the GPS device to the vehicle, and its use of that device to monitor the vehicle’s movements, constitutes a search under the 4th Amendment.” The government violated the defendant’s 4th Amendment rights when it placed a GPS device tracking device on his car and tracked his movements for a month.
This is the first time the high court has considered the constitutionality of a GPS tracking device. While this case is about whether police need a warrant to install a GPS tracking device on a person’s car, an argument can be made that this holding can influence a court’s decision on cell phone tracking.
To read the Supreme Court decision, visit here. http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/10-1259.pdf.
What are your thoughts? Join the conversation on my Facebook Fan Page or in one of my LinkedIn groups.
Until then, I’m Attorney Francine Ward helping you protect your self!
