October Term 2013 · Docket 13-212
Can police search a phone without a warrant after arrest?
The government seeks a broad search right. The defendant demands a warrant for digital data.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
The government claims a categorical rule harms law enforcement.
The defendant states encryption was not litigated below.
questions_and_argument_context
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 14-22 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 14-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 14-16 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 14-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-40 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 34-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 36-1 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 36-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 8-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 8-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-10 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 12-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-36 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 48-28 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 48-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-40 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 48-4 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 48-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 48-1 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 48-1
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Police seized a phone during an arrest. They searched it without a warrant. The lower court admitted the evidence. The defendant challenges this search.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 8-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 8-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-10 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-10
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 29, 2014.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
What each side wants
The government wants a broad search right for phones.
The defendant wants a warrant for digital data.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 8-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 8-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-10 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-10
What each side says
The government argues historical practice supports the search.
The defendant argues encryption complicates the search.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 8-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 8-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-10 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-10
What the justices asked
Justice Breyer asked about phone passwords.
Justice Kagan asked about cloud storage limits.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 14-22 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 14-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 14-16 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 14-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-40 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 34-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 36-1 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 36-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 12-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-36 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 48-28 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 48-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-40 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 48-4 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 48-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 48-1 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 48-1
Why it matters
This case defines police access to digital data. It balances privacy against law enforcement needs. The outcome shapes future search procedures.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 8-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 8-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-10 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-10
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 14-22 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 14-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 14-16 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 14-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-40 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 34-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 36-1 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 36-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 12-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 40-46 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 40-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-36 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 48-28 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 48-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-40 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 36-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 48-4 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 48-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 48-1 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 48-1
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 8-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 8-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-10 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 8-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 8-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-10 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-10
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.