Katz v. United States
A plain-English summary from Criminal Defense Resources™, a free resource for pro per/pro se defendants and their families.
General educational information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. This page describes what a court decided in general terms. It does not tell you what to do in any case.
- Court
- U.S. Supreme Court
- Decided
- Citation
- 389 U.S. 347 (1967)
What did the court decide?
The Court held that the government's recording of a man's conversation in a public phone booth, without a warrant, was a search under the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment protects people, not just places.
Why does it matter?
Katz is the origin of the "reasonable expectation of privacy" test that courts still use to decide whether police conduct counts as a search.
Where can I read the full opinion?
Read the full opinion on Cornell Law School LII →
Always read the full opinion and check whether later cases have limited or changed it. A summary can leave out important details.
Related rulings
General educational information, not legal advice. Not a law firm.