Supreme Court Says No Cell Phone Searches Without Warrant

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled Wednesday that police can no longer search a suspect's cell phone without a warrant.

Chief Justice John Roberts says he understands this ruling will make police officers' jobs more difficult, but contends that: "Privacy comes at a cost."

"Modern cell phones, as a category, implicate privacy concerns far beyond those implicated by the search of a cigarette pack, a wallet or a purse," wrote Chief Justice Roberts.

Warrantless searches have been permitted in the past on the grounds of officer protection and the prevention of destruction of evidence. The Supreme Court felt neither rational applied to the search of cell phones.

The ruling is a landmark decision regarding the protection of individual privacy in the digital age.

[Wall Street Journal]