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Painting of four soldiers dressed in red coats and black hats, standing at a door, holding a document, lantern, and weapons, with a dark, smoky background.

A History of the Fourth Amendment

From Semayne’s “castle” to Riley and Carpenter, trace the Fourth Amendment’s evolution—general warrants, Katz’s privacy test, the vehicle exception, and today’s digital evidence. Written for investigators, it explains the third-party doctrine’s limits and mosaic theory, offering clear, practical takeaways on warrants, scope, and exigency in modern investigations today.

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A collage of various vintage license plates from different US states and organizations, arranged in rows and columns.

Automated License Plate Readers and the Fourth Amendment: Balancing Policing and Privacy

Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) have become a common tool for law enforcement, aiding in everything from recovering stolen cars to tracking suspects. These systems – whether fixed cameras on poles or mobile units on patrol cars – automatically photograph license plates and convert them into data . The plate number, timestamp, and GPS location are instantly checked against hotlists (e.g. stolen vehicles or wanted suspects) and stored in databases for later analysis. This powerful capability raises an important question: How does ALPR use intersect with Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches?

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