Fourth Amendment Commons^™

The Bill Of Rights And The Constitution: Facing The Challenge Of The Future, Stephen Wermiel

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

No abstract provided.

Thermal Imaging And The Fourth Amendment: Pushing The Katz Test Towards Terminal Velocity, 13 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 453 (1995), Daniel J. Polatsek

UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law

Thermal imaging technology allows police to ascertain if a suspect is growing marijuana in his home by monitoring the escaping heat from the home. Conflicts between the lower courts on whether thermal imaging is sophisticated technology that is intrusive has not been resolved. Most courts rely on Katz v. United States in developing a reasonable inquiry into whether one's privacy has been invaded. The Katz test fails in part because of the second prong of the court's analysis. The second prong of the test states that an impermissible search occurs when a reasonable expectation of privacy is invaded. Consequently, prosecutors …

Search And Seizure: It's Time The Court Shed Some Light On The Use Of Ultraviolet Lamps, 22 J. Marshall L. Rev. 877 (1989), M. Jeffrey Tucker

UIC Law Review

No abstract provided.

Electronic Tracking Devices And The Fourth Amendment: Knotts, Karo, And The Questions Still Unanswered, Clifford S. Fishman

Scholarly Articles

This article will examine the Knotts and Karo decisions, analyze the unanswered questions relating to the use of electronic tracking devices, and outline legislation that might best resolve those questions and strike a proper balance between the often conflicting values of individual privacy and effective law enforcement.

Police Use Of Cctv Surveillance: Constitutional Implications And Proposed Regulations, Gary C. Robb

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This article evaluates the constitutionality of CCTV "searches." Part I discusses the present uses being made of closed circuit technology and evaluates the merits of the CCTV surveillance system. The critical policy trade-off is the system's effectiveness in combatting crime against the resulting loss of privacy to individual citizens.

Part II considers the constitutional implications of CCTV use in terms of three major doctrines: the Fourth Amendment prohibition against "unreasonable searches and seizures"; the constitutional right of privacy; and the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and association. This part briefly summarizes the state of the law concerning these constitutional …

Pen Registers And Privacy: Risks, Expectations, And The Nullification Of Congressional Intent, Clifford S. Fishman

Scholarly Articles

In United States v. New York Telephone Co. the Supreme Court first ruled that an ordinary search warrant sufficed to authorize law enforcement use of a pen register. Additionally, the Court ruled that a federal district judge possessed the authority to include within the search warrant an order compelling a telephone company to assist the government by installing a pen register on the targeted telephone.

In Smith v. Maryland, the Court considered the legality of pen register surveillance conducted by a telephone company pursuant to an informal police request, that is, without a warrant or other court order. In holding …

The Legitimation Of Electronic Eavesdropping: The Politics Of "Law And Order", Herman Schwartz

Michigan Law Review

This Article will examine some constitutional considerations raised by wiretapping and eavesdropping in light of recent Supreme Court decisions, the probable extent of such activity, the limitations imposed upon it by title III and the ABA Standards, and the arguments for the "necessity" of electronic surveillance. Finally, a few jaundiced comments will be offered about legislative and judicial lawmaking in the field of criminal justice, particularly in a time of crisis.