Tech

We’re Asking an Appeals Court to Require a Warrant for ALPR Searches

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 10/11/2026, 00:20:24 UTC.

Briefings

Amicus briefs filed by ACLU and EFF in the Sixth Circuit challenge the warrantless use of ALPR data in United States v. Sturdivant, a Cleveland case involving robberies. The brief argues ALPR tracking constitutes a Fourth Amendment search, citing the ability to view past movements with a 'virtual time machine.' The Sixth Circuit previously held ALPRs are indiscriminate mass surveillance, but the brief seeks reversal. The case involves a suspect whose car was tracked near crime scenes, leading to arrest after a warrantless search of two databases.

Key points

• The Sixth Circuit court of appeals in United States v. Sturdivant is reviewing whether police warrantlessly tracked a suspect's movements using ALPR data in Cleveland, Ohio.
• The brief argues that ALPRs provide law enforcement with a 'virtual time machine' to view suspects' past movements, unlike observing a license plate on a passing car.

Context

ALPRs are a network of systems tracking driver movements across the country, often used to identify suspects in robberies. In this case, police used ALPR data to identify a suspect's car near crime scenes in Cleveland, leading to his arrest after a warrantless search of two databases.

Limitations

Evidence is limited to the amicus briefs filed by ACLU and EFF regarding the Sixth Circuit case. The specific outcome of the Sixth Circuit's review of the warrantless ALPR search remains uncertain without further court proceedings.

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