Massachusetts Supreme Court Requires Warrant for GPS Tracking
Today, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that police must obtain a warrant before using GPS devices to monitor vehicles, as it constitutes a seizure under the Massachusetts Constitution. The court also imposed time limits on GPS monitoring, ruling that warrants will expire fifteen days after they are issued. A concurring opinion raised the issue of whether the use of a GPS is a "seizure" or a "search." EPIC filed a “friend of the court” brief (pdf) in the case, urging the court to adopt a warrant requirement. For more information, see EPIC Commonwealth v. Connolly.