United States v. Jones
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
- 565 U.S. 400 (2012)
What did the court decide?
The Court held that the government's installation of a GPS tracking device on a person's vehicle, and its use to monitor the vehicle's movements, was a search under the Fourth Amendment.
Why does it matter?
An important case on location tracking. It led to later decisions about digital location data, such as Carpenter v. United States.
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.