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Pennsylvania Supreme Court Holds Any Search of Cellphone Requires Warrant
by Dale Chappell
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania made it clear: “If a member of law enforcement wishes to obtain information from a cellphone, get a warrant.” The Court held that turning on, as well as digging into a cellphone to obtain its number, constituted a search each that required ...
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More from this issue:
- News in Brief
- 10th Circuit: Observation of Stack of 15 Credit Cards Does Not Provide Police With Probable Cause to Examine Name on Cards for Evidence of a Crime, by Christopher Zoukis
- Idaho Supreme Court Orders Acquittal for Insufficient Identification of Drug, by Matthew Clarke
- $10 Million Award for California Man Wrongfully Imprisoned, by Derek Gilna
- Ninth Circuit: Violations Alleged After Expiration of Supervised Release Term Must be Factually Related to Pre-Expiration Allegation, by Richard Resch
- Delaware Supreme Court Describes What Constitutes ‘Effective’ Counsel at Sentencing, by Dale Chappell
- Golden State Killer Suspect Arrest Opens Floodgates for Law Enforcement Use of DNA Websites, by Steve Horn
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Holds Any Search of Cellphone Requires Warrant, by Dale Chappell
- Wyoming Supreme Court Adopts ‘Castle Doctrine’ for Cohabitants, by Dale Chappell
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Conviction for Transporting an Illegal Alien Due to Improper Jury Instruction, by Christopher Zoukis
- Eleventh Circuit Clarifies When a Court Must Conduct Resentencing Following § 2255 Relief, by Dale Chappell
- California Court of Appeal Rejects Gang Enhancement Based on Expert Witness’ Case-Specific Hearsay Evidence, by Christopher Zoukis
- Third Circuit Reverses Occupational Restriction in Excess of Statutory Maximum for Supervised Release, by Matthew Clarke
- New Mexico Supreme Court Reverses Convictions Based on Double Jeopardy Violations, by Christopher Zoukis
- Virginia Supreme Court Grants Relief Under Revised Actual Innocence Statute, by Dale Chappell
- Colorado High Court Clarifies Crime-Fraud Exception to Attorney-Client Privilege, by Dale Chappell
- Florida Supreme Court Announces SOL Defense Must be Raised at Trial to Preserve Issue for Direct Appeal, by Richard Resch
- California Supreme Court Vacates Conviction and Death Sentence After Experts Recant Testimony, by Dale Chappell
- Colorado Supreme Court: ‘Entry of Judgment’ for New Trial Motion Means Both Conviction and Imposition of Sentence, by Dale Chappell
- Vermont Supreme Court: Defendant Cannot be Compelled to Submit to Competency Evaluation by State’s Expert, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit: California Carjacking Not a Crime of Violence Post-Johnson, by Christopher Zoukis
- Ohio Supreme Court: Prisoner Entitled to Results of Post-Conviction DNA Profile, by Matthew Clarke
- No Increase in Murder Rate for Civilians or Police Following Abolition of Death Penalty, by Matthew Clarke
- Execution Numbers Down in 2017, by Christopher Zoukis
- Minnesota Supreme Court: Prisoner Entitled to Appointed Attorney for One Review of Conviction, Even When It’s Not a Direct Appeal, by Christopher Zoukis
- Web-Based Database Exposes Depth and Breadth of Police Criminality, by Derek Gilna
- Sixth Circuit: Statute of Limitations for § 1983 Claim Accrues When Criminal Proceedings are Terminated, by Christopher Zoukis
- DOJ: Police Shooting Family Dogs has Become ‘Epidemic’, by Dale Chappell
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds SCOTUS Prohibition Against Warrantless Blood Tests in DWI Cases Applies Retroactively, by Matthew Clarke
- S.C. Supreme Court Rules Counsel’s Failure to Recognize Ex Post Facto Issue in Advising Defendant to Accept Plea Deal Constituted IAC, by Dale Chappell
- Alabama’s Most Populous County Reaches Bail Reform Settlement, But Problems Could Persist, by Steve Horn
- Sixth Circuit Suppresses Evidence Where Triggering Event Specified in Anticipatory Search Warrant Never Occurred, by Richard Resch
- Philly Prosecutor’s ‘Do Not Call’ List Released; Names Cops Not to Call to the Stand, by Christopher Zoukis
- Ohio Supreme Court: Policy of Inventory Search Upon Arrest Does Not Empower Police to Retrieve Property from Area Protected by Fourth Amendment, by Dale Chappell
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Lawyer’s Failure to Advise Client of Opinion Making It Impossible for State to Meet Its Burden of Proof Constitutes Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, by Matthew Clarke
- Do Black Lives Matter in the Supreme Court?, by Michael Avery
- SCOTUS Adopts ‘Look Through’ Methodology for Federal Courts in Determining State Court’s Rationale for Unexplained Habeas Decision, by Richard Resch
- Cell-Site Simulators: Police Use Military Technology to Reach out and Spy on You, by Christopher Zoukis
More from Dale Chappell:
- Arguing Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, June 1, 2025
- How to Take Your Postconviction Case Directly to the U.S. Supreme Court: A Roadmap to Direct Collateral Review, March 15, 2025
- Federal Habeas Corpus for State Prisoners: Proving Unreasonableness Under AEDPA, Feb. 1, 2025
- Federal Court Rules Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Laws Violate Constitution, Dec. 1, 2024
- Refuting the Government’s Argument Against Nonretroactive Changes in Law as Grounds for Compassionate Release, Oct. 1, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Getting Around Procedural Default, July 15, 2024
- The Death of the Savings Clause, May 15, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Understanding Second or Successive Petitions for State Prisoners, April 15, 2024
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates Relief From Death Penalty, Citing State’s Forfeiture of Argument Against Relief, May 15, 2023
- Federal Habeas Corpus: The Evidentiary Hearing for Federal Prisoners, April 15, 2023
More from these topics:
- How to Build a Human; A Forensics Company Tells Cops It Can Use DNA to Predict a Suspect’s Face. Scientists Worry the Tool Will Deepen Racial Bias., Sept. 15, 2025. Forensic Sciences, Fourth Amendment, rights, DNA Evidence, Advanced Imaging Technology.
- Ninth Circuit: ‘Dominion and Control’ Provision of Search Warrant for Suspect’s Computer That Lacked Temporal or Other Limitation Constitutes General Warrant, Aug. 1, 2025. Computer Searches, Search warrants, Warrants, Immediate Control.
- Colorado Supreme Court Announces Police Facilitating Drug-Detection Dog’s Entry Into Vehicle by Opening Door During Traffic Stop Without Probable Cause Is Unconstitutional Search in Violation of Fourth Amendment, July 1, 2025. Fourth Amendment, rights, Drug-Sniffing Dog, Automobile Searches/Seizures.
- SCOTUS Announces Rejection of ‘Moment-of-Threat Doctrine’ Because It Improperly Narrows Required ‘Totality of the Circumstances’ Analysis for Fourth Amendment Excessive-Force Claims, May 15, 2025. Shootings, Police--Excessive Force, Excessive Force (Police), Fourth Amendment, rights.
- Mayhem, Murder and Staff Misconduct at Brooklyn BOP Lockup, March 1, 2025. Cell Searches, Drug Testing, Prison/Jail Murders, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Cell Phone Access, Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet.
- 20 South Carolina Prisoners Sentenced So Far for Deadly 2018 Riot, Feb. 15, 2025. Retaliation, Prison Rebellion, Prison Gangs, Staffing, Cell Phone Access.
- California Supreme Court: Presence in High Crime Area and Desire to Avoid Contact With Police Does Not Amount to Reasonable Suspicion Justifying Detention for Suspected Criminal Activity, Aug. 1, 2024. Fourth Amendment, rights, Suspicionless Searches.
- Delaware Supreme Court: Warrant That Authorized Search of ‘Any and All’ Data of Named Files on Cellphone Is Invalid General Warrant That Also Failed to Include Temporal Limitation, June 15, 2024. Search warrants, Warrants, Particularity Requirement, Overbreadth, Warrants - General Search, Digital Devices.
- Cellebrite Asks Law Enforcement Clients to Keep Its Phone Hacking Tech Secret, April 15, 2024. Contractor Misconduct, Cell Phone Access, Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet, Cell-Phones.
- Harris County, Texas, Settles Civil Rights Case for $1.5 Million Brought by Innocent Man Shot in His Home Five Times by Trigger-Happy Deputy, Feb. 15, 2024. Police Misconduct, Excessive Force (Police), Fourth Amendment, rights, Police/Govt Misconduct, Monell Liability, Fourth Amendment.