Case Digest on Carpenter v. United States

Obtaining cell-site location information constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment, requiring a warrant supported by probable cause.

FACTS OF THE CASE:

The police arrested four men in connection with a series of armed robberies. One of the men confessed to the crimes and gave the FBI his cell phone number and the numbers of the other participants. The FBI used this information to apply for three orders from judges to obtain "transactional records" for each phone number, which the judges granted.

One accused, Timothy Carpenter, then moved to suppress the government's cell-site evidence arguing that the FBI needed a warrant based on probable cause to obtain the records.

ISSUE OF THE CASE:

Whether the warrantless search and seizure of cell phone records, which include the location and movements of cell phone users, violate the Fourth Amendment

RULING OF THE CASE:

Yes, the government's warrantless acquisition of Carpenter's cell-site records violated his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The Fourth Amendment protects the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Expectations of privacy in this age of digital data do not fit neatly into existing precedents, but tracking a person's movements and location through extensive cell site records is far more intrusive than the precedents might have anticipated.

IMPACT TO THE LEGAL SYSTEM:

The case establishes that law enforcement agencies are now required to obtain a warrant supported by probable cause before accessing such information, rather than relying on lesser forms of authorization like a court order or subpoena. It strengthens privacy protections for individuals in the digital realm.