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SCOTUS: ‘Exceeds Authorized Access’ Under the CFAA Means Accessing Areas of Computer That Are Off-Limits on Computer Otherwise Authorized to Access
by Doug Ankney
The Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) held that for purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(2), the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 (“CFAA”), an individual “exceeds authorized access” when he accesses a computer with authorization but then obtains information located in particular areas of ...
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More from this issue:
- The Clash Between Closed-Source Forensic Tools and the Confrontation Clause, by Anthony Accurso
- Make Way for the Snitch State The All-Seeing Fourth Branch of Government, by Nisha Whitehead, John W. Whitehead
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Withholding Exculpatory Statement Change by Key Witness Constitutes Brady Violation, Requiring New Trial, by Matthew Clarke
- Qualified Immunity Driven by Irrational Fear of Cops Being Held Personally Liable, by Dale Chappell
- Wyoming Supreme Court: Fleeing Into Home After Traffic Offense Not Exigent Circumstance Justifying Warrantless Entry, by Anthony Accurso
- SCOTUS: § 2(a) of Fair Sentencing Act Modifies Statutory Penalties Only for Subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)— the Mandatory-Minimum Provisions, by Douglas Ankney
- SCOTUS: ‘Exceeds Authorized Access’ Under the CFAA Means Accessing Areas of Computer That Are Off-Limits on Computer Otherwise Authorized to Access, by Douglas Ankney
- Fourth Circuit: Sentence Vacated for Failure to Properly Analyze Leadership Role Factors, by Anthony Accurso
- Tenth Circuit Joins Other Circuits, Holding Federal Offense of Conviction, Not Underlying Conduct, Determines First Step Act Eligibility, by Dale Chappell
- Hawaii Supreme Court: Trial Counsel Must Inform Defendant That Deportation ‘Will Be Required’ for Plea to Aggravated Felony, IAC for Advising Deportation ‘Almost Certain’, by David Reutter
- Study: Innocent Children Likely to Plead Guilty, by David Reutter
- Fourth Circuit: District Court Must Recalculate Guidelines Sentencing Range and Conduct Analysis of § 3553(a) Factors Even if Same Sentence Would Be Imposed Under First Step Act, by Dale Chappell
- "Sixth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief Because Trial Judge Redacted Key Portion of Witness’ Testimony Presented to Jury in Violation of Confrontation Clause", by Dale Chappell
- JusticeText Software Helps Defense Attorneys Review Audiovisual Evidence, by Anthony Accurso
- Seventh Circuit Finds Lack of Evidence, Grants Habeas Relief, and Orders ‘Immediate Release’, by Dale Chappell
- Ninth Circuit: IAC Under Strickland Satisfies Rhines’ ‘Good Cause’ Standard to Stay Federal Habeas Petition, Allowing Exhaustion of State Court Remedies, by Dale Chappell
- Wisconsin Supreme Court: Officer’s Retention of Driver’s License Without Reasonable Suspicion to Delay Until Arrival of Drug Dog Constitutes Unlawful Seizure, by Anthony Accurso
- Tenth Circuit: Warrant Authorizing Search for Items ‘Involved in Crime’ Violates Fourth Amendment’s Particularity Requirement, Not Saved by Doctrine of Severability, by Anthony Accurso
- The Legacy of Len Bias, by Jayson Hawkins
- Massachusetts Supreme Court Revisits Lougee and Announces Framework for Determining When Pretrial Detention Prolonged Due to COVID Violates Due Process, by Douglas Ankney
- North Dakota Supreme Court Holds Attempted Knowing Murder Is Non-Cognizable, by Matthew Clarke
- California Court of Appeal: § 1170.95(e) Permits Trial Courts to Redesignate More Than One Underlying Felony in Resentencing Vacated Felony-Murder Conviction, by Douglas Ankney
- North Carolina Court Rules That Felons Not in Prison Must Be Allowed to Vote, by Chuck Sharman
- Seventh Circuit: Prosecutor’s Comments Not Supported by Evidence Denied Defendant Fair Trial, Affirms Habeas Relief, by Dale Chappell
- Arizona Supreme Court: Trial Courts Have Broad Discretion to Disqualify Entire Prosecutor’s Office Based on Appearance of Impropriety, by Douglas Ankney
- Mississippi Supreme Court: Failure to Timely File Motion to Suppress Confession Obtained as Result of Police Threats and Promises Constitutes Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, by Matthew Clarke
- Federal Judge: ‘Offense of Conviction’ Under Guidelines Excludes Relevant Conduct for Sentencing, by Dale Chappell
- Indiana Supreme Court Applies Recently Announced Proportionality Framework for In Rem Fines and Holds Forfeiture of $35,000 Land Rover Grossly Disproportionate to Underlying Offense in Violation of Eighth Amendment, Ending 7-Year Saga, by Douglas Ankney
- Putting Police Use of Spy Tech Under Community Control, by Anthony Accurso
- Seventh Circuit: Cronic Doesn’t Provide Exclusive Situations for its Application, Finds Attorney Abandonment at Sentencing Despite Counsel Being Physically Present, by Dale Chappell
- Law Enforcement Underwhelmed by Clearview AI, by Anthony Accurso
- Study Finds Lack of Uniformity in New DNA Technology, by Jayson Hawkins
- 11th Circuit: District Court Must Demonstrate It Considered § 3553(a) Factors When Denying Motion for Compassionate Release, by Douglas Ankney
- California Town Pays $6 Million to Family of Mentally Ill Man Tasered by Cop
- Fourth Circuit: RICO Conspiracy Isn’t ‘Crime of Violence’ for § 924(c) Purposes, by Douglas Ankney
- California Supreme Court Announces Predicate Offenses for Gang Enhancement or Gang Participation Not Provable Using Expert Witness Testimony Without Personal Knowledge of Facts, by Matthew Clarke
- Newark Police Didn’t Discharge a Single Firearm in 2020, and the Crime Rate Fell, by Jayson Hawkins
- SCOTUS Reinstates Death Sentence Reversed by Eleventh Circuit, by Matthew Clarke
- Study Finds Interactive Lineup Improves Accuracy of Eyewitness Identification, But Does It Also Increase Likelihood of False Identifications?, by Matthew Clarke
- FBI Fails to Track Police Use of Force, by Jayson Hawkins
- Concealed Exculpatory Evidence and New Palm Print Evidence Frees Wrongfully Convicted Man After 21 Years in Prison, by Douglas Ankney
- News in Brief
More from Douglas Ankney:
- Third Circuit Upholds Award of $265,000 to Prisoner Who Was Sexually Assaulted Twice by the Same Guard, Aug. 1, 2025
- Fifth Circuit Announces When Initial § 2255 Petition Not Decided on Merits and Appeals Court Later Recalls Mandate Dismissing Direct Appeal and Affirms Conviction, Subsequent § 2255 Petition Not ‘Second or Successive’ Under AEDPA, Aug. 1, 2025
- $340,000 for Former Massachusetts Prisoner Whose Baby Was Stillborn, July 15, 2025
- New Jersey Supreme Court Refuses Guard’s Challenge to Firing for Failing to Report Kiss with Prisoner, July 15, 2025
- New York City Loses Bid to Withhold Jail Records, July 15, 2025
- Eleventh Circuit Announces New Deliberate Indifference Framework in Dismissing Georgia Prisoner’s Claim for Skipped Anti-Seizure Meds, July 15, 2025
- Washington Jail Settles DOJ Allegations of ADA Noncompliance in Failure to Treat Opioid Use Disorder, July 15, 2025
- Ohio Supreme Court Says Sheriff Must Get and Disclose Records of Private Contractors, July 15, 2025
- Third Circuit Rejects U.S. Sentencing Commission Amended Compassionate Release Policy, July 15, 2025
- South Carolina Prisoners Granted Class-Action Status in Suit Over Low Wages in Prison Industries Jobs, July 15, 2025
More from these topics:
- AI Honeypots: Police Are Using Chatbots to Pose as Teens and Sex Workers to Entrap Suspects, Aug. 1, 2025. Mechanical Searches/Scanners, Computer Searches, Entrapment, Government Deception and Trickery.
- 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.
- A Black Box, a Guilty Plea, and an Uncertain Truth, April 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, Computer Searches, Forensic Sciences, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
- NYPD Responds to 911 Calls with Drones, April 15, 2025. Computer Searches, Police State-Surveillance, Use of Drones.
- Government Hacks Computers to Thwart Hackers, March 15, 2025. Computer Searches, Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet.
- Law Enforcement Obscures Use of Facial Recognition Technology, Feb. 15, 2025. Computer Searches, Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance, Police/Govt Misconduct.
- Police Departments Are Now Using AI to Write Reports, Feb. 15, 2025. Police Misconduct, Computer Searches, Electronic Surveillance, Police/Govt Misconduct, Police Reports.
- Federal Facial Recognition Technology Fails Again, Feb. 1, 2025. Computer Searches, Evidentiary Ruling, Forensic Sciences.
- Careful What You Search For, Feb. 1, 2025. Computer Searches, Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance.
- WhatsApp’s Security Team Identifies Vulnerabilities, Nov. 1, 2024. Computer Searches.





