Legal Definitions - United States v. Jones (2012)

United States v. Jones is a Supreme Court case that dealt with the use of electronic tracking devices by law enforcement agencies. The case held that the placement and use of an electronic tracking device for 28 days on a suspect’s vehicle through an improperly executed warrant constituted a search under the Fourth Amendment.

For example, in 2004, the FBI used an electronic tracking device to track Antoine Jones, a suspect in a drug trafficking case. The device was placed on Jones’ vehicle without a proper warrant and was used to track his movements for 28 days. The Supreme Court ruled that this use of the device constituted a search under the Fourth Amendment.

The Court’s decision was based on the idea that the Fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures. The use of an electronic tracking device without a proper warrant was considered a violation of this protection.

The case is significant because it established that the use of electronic tracking devices by law enforcement agencies is subject to Fourth Amendment protections. This decision has implications for the use of other types of surveillance technologies, such as drones and facial recognition software.