United States Leading Case reasonable expectation of privacyelectronic surveillancewarrant requirement

Katz v. United States

389 U.S. 347 (1967); 88 S. Ct. 507; 19 L. Ed. 2d 576

JurisdictionUnited States

CourtSupreme Court of the United States

Year1967

StatusBinding authority

Key Principle

The Fourth Amendment protects people, not places; a search occurs when the government intrudes on a reasonable expectation of privacy, independent of physical trespass.

Area of Law

Criminal Law, Procedure & Evidence

Related Cases

In re Winship 397 U.S. 358 (1970); 90 S. Ct. 1068; 25 L. Ed. 2d 368

Morissette v. United States 342 U.S. 246 (1952); 72 S. Ct. 240; 96 L. Ed. 288

Klein v. Martin 607 U. S. 213 (2026)

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