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Alabama Supreme Court Announces Testimony About Cell-Site Location Data Is ‘Scientific’ Expert Testimony, Not Lay, Triggering Daubert Analysis
by Anthony Accurso
In its January 8, 2021, opinion, the Supreme Court of Alabama held that a law enforcement agent’s testimony about how historical cell-site data could be used to determine the approximate location of the defendants’ cellphones is scientific testimony, and as such, it must be properly assessed for ...
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More from this issue:
- Faulty Forensics and Wrongful Convictions, by Matthew Clarke
- Seventh Circuit Affirms Vacatur of Death Sentence Based on Newly Discovered Evidence of Defendant’s Intellectual Disability, by Douglas Ankney
- Machinery of Death: When the Government Acts as Judge, Jury and Executioner, by John W. Whitehead
- Seventh Circuit: Indiana’s Sex Offender Registration Act’s ‘Other Jurisdiction Requirement’ Unconstitutional Violation of Right to Travel, by Douglas Ankney
- Ohio Supreme Court: Retroactive Application of Sexually Violent Predator Law Violates Ex Post Facto Clause, by Dale Chappell
- Alabama Supreme Court Announces Testimony About Cell-Site Location Data Is ‘Scientific’ Expert Testimony, Not Lay, Triggering Daubert Analysis, by Anthony Accurso
- Maryland Court of Appeals: MTA’s Fare Sweep Constitutes Suspicionless Seizure in Violation of Fourth Amendment, by Douglas Ankney
- North Carolina Supreme Court: Judge May Not Reject Informed Guilty Plea Because Defendant Refuses to Admit He’s Factually Guilty, by David Reutter
- How the Criminal Justice System Fails People With Mental Illness, by Jordan Smith
- Third Circuit: Brady Claims in Habeas Petitions Timely When Filed Within One Year of Date Reason to Believe Prosecutor Violated Duty To Disclose, by Douglas Ankney
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Departure From SCOTUS’ Vehicle Exception to Warrant Requirement, Commonwealth’s Constitution Provides Greater Protections, by Anthony Accurso
- California Court of Appeal: Lack of Notice of Filing Deadline Due Process Violation, Allowing Late Challenge to Erroneous Parole Designation, by Dale Chappell
- Ninth Circuit Announces Un-Mirandized Statement Used in Criminal Proceeding Violates Fifth Amendment and Supports § 1983 Claim, by Douglas Ankney
- Massachusetts Supreme Court Announces ‘Habitual Offender’ Statute Allows for Sentence of Probation Only, by Dale Chappell
- Hawai’i Supreme Court Announces Clarification of When Self-Induced Intoxication Exception of HRS § 702-230 Applies, by Matthew Clarke
- STAR Program Redirecting Mental Health Emergency Calls Away From Police a Success in Denver, by Kevin Bliss
- Kentucky Supreme Court Announces Appellate Standard of Review for Domestic Abuse Exemption to Violent Offender Parole Eligibility, by Anthony Accurso
- Fifth Circuit: Evidence of Simple Drug Possession Insufficient to Search Cellphone Photos for Evidence of Drug Trafficking, by Anthony Accurso
- California Supreme Court Announces SB 1437 Bars Second-Degree Murder Based on Natural and Probable Consequences Doctrine, by Douglas Ankney
- New Drone Tech Being Deployed by Police, by Anthony Accurso
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Officer Testified as Expert on Child Sexual Abuse Without First Being Qualified and 42 Pa.C.S. § 5920 Overruled Dunkle, by Douglas Ankney
- "Kentucky Supreme Court: Hearing on Defense Counsel’s Fitness Is Critical Stage at Which Defendant Has Right to Be Present With Conflict-Free Counsel", by Douglas Ankney
- D.C. Circuit: Differing Counsel Effectiveness Findings Create Possible Injustice in Wired Plea Offer, by David Reutter
- Second Circuit: Jury Instructions Regarding Defendant’s Motive to Testify Falsely Improper, by Anthony Accurso
- California Court of Appeal Overturns Child Sex Abuse Convictions Based on Prosecution’s Violation of Brady Obligations by Withholding Witness Impeachment Evidence, by Matthew Clarke
- Fourth Circuit: Conditions of Release Banning Internet Access and Legal Pornography Overbroad and Not Reasonably Related, by Douglas Ankney
- Kentucky Supreme Court Reverses Murder Convictions Due to ‘Flagrant Prosecutorial Misconduct’ in Misleading Jury, by Matthew Clarke
- Capitol Police Department Repeatedly Sued Over Racial Discrimination, by Casey Bastian
- Hundreds Serving Life Due to Less Than Unanimous Jury Verdicts, by Edward Lyon
- Nevada Supreme Court Reverses Conviction for Murdering Sixth Wife Due to Improper Prior Bad-Act Evidence Regarding Murder of Second Wife, by Matthew Clarke
- Washington Supreme Court Announces Misconduct of Petitioner’s Own Counsel Can Be Basis for Equitable Tolling in Habeas Proceeding, by Douglas Ankney
- Hidden Sentences, by Jayson Hawkins
- Law Degree for South Carolina Magistrates Optional, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- Policing Prostitution in New York, by Jayson Hawkins
- Tech Company Enables Total Surveillance, by Jayson Hawkins
- Image of Men Urinating on Grave Protected by First Amendment, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- Shifting View of Criminal Justice in U.S., by Jayson Hawkins
- Philadelphia Man Exonerated After Police Cover-Up Exposed, by Casey Bastian
- New Jersey Man Wrongly Arrested Due to Flawed Face Recognition Match, by Anthony Accurso
- Man Serving 505-Year Sentence Granted Compassionate Release Due to COVID-19
- Police Robo Stalkers in a Location Near You, by Douglas Ankney
- News in Brief
More from Anthony Accurso:
- Sixth Circuit Holds Dismissal Not Automatic When Plaintiff Simultaneously Files Same Claims in State Court, Aug. 1, 2025
- Delaware’s ACLU Files Action on Behalf Of Six Prisoners Assaulted During Midnight Raid, Aug. 1, 2025
- DOJ Inspects BOP Food Service Operations, Finds Troubling Issues at Multiple Facilities, Aug. 1, 2025
- Guaranteed Basic Income Programs for Prisoners Reduce Food Insecurity and Homelessness, Aug. 1, 2025
- 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
- Nearly $60,000 Awarded to Mother Of Dead Missouri Prisoner In Suit For His DOC Records, July 15, 2025
- $42,000 Paid to Wisconsin Prisoner Allowed to Harm Himself While Under Observation, July 15, 2025
- Ongoing Detainee Deaths Push Rikers Island into Federal Court Receivership, July 15, 2025
- The Dangerous Practice of Late-Night Jail Releases, July 15, 2025
- Percentage Of Prisoners Serving Life Without Parole Is Up Despite Overall Decrease in Prison Population, July 15, 2025
More from these topics:
- New Orleans Police Continue Using Facial Recognition Despite City Restrictions, July 1, 2025. Police State-Surveillance, Cell-Site-Location Records, Electronic Surveillance, Authorization.
- Cell-Site Simulator Proposal: A Glimpse Inside the Black Box Whose Secrets Are Protected by NDAs and Obfuscation, Dec. 1, 2024. Police State-Surveillance, Cell-Site-Location Records, Cell Site Location Information ("CSLI").
- Stinging Back: Resisting Government Surveillance of Cellphones, May 15, 2024. Police State-Surveillance, Cell-Site-Location Records, Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet, Cell-Phone Location/Tracking Data, Cell Site Location Information ("CSLI"), Stingray, Electronic Surveillance.
- New Jersey Supreme Court Excludes CSLI Testimony Based on Agent’s ‘Rule Of Thumb’ Method for Determining Defendant’s Location, Feb. 15, 2024. Cell-Phone Location/Tracking Data, Application, Opinions and Expert Testimony, Expert and Opinion Testimony.
- The Serious Threat of Cell-Site Simulators, Sept. 1, 2023. Cell-Site-Location Records.
- The Daniel Buffington Dilemma: Does His Expert Witness Testimony Satisfy Daubert?, Aug. 1, 2023. Death Penalty/Death Row, Daubert Standards, Expert and Opinion Testimony, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony.
- Kentucky Supreme Court Announces Obtaining Real-Time CSLI Data Constitutes a Search Under Fourth Amendment, Addressing Legal Question U.S. Supreme Court Explicitly Left Open in Carpenter, Dec. 15, 2022. Cell-Site-Location Records, Cell Site Location Information ("CSLI"), Fourth Amendment.
- Eighth Circuit Rules District Court Must Use Federal Law for Admissibility of Expert Testimony, Dec. 1, 2021. Expert and Opinion Testimony.
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Officer Testified as Expert on Child Sexual Abuse Without First Being Qualified and 42 Pa.C.S. § 5920 Overruled Dunkle, March 15, 2021. Expert Witnesses, Expert and Opinion Testimony.
- Ninth Circuit: District Court Abdicated Daubert Gatekeeping Function by Failing to Make Reliability Findings on Expert Witness’ Testimony, Dec. 15, 2020. Reliability of Evidence/Testimony, Expert and Opinion Testimony.
