After Further Review, The Fourth Circuit Says Good Faith Applies To Bad Geofence Warrant

After Further Review, The Fourth Circuit Says Good Faith Applies To Bad Geofence Warrant

Last July, the Fourth Circuit Appeals Court handled a geofence warrant case, marking the first time this issue had been handled at the appellate level. The robbery suspect, Okello Chatrie, challenged the constitutionality of the warrant, arguing that its non-particular nature placed it outside the bounds of the Fourth Amendment. A half-decade ago, this argument…

En Banc Fourth Circuit Geofence Decision is Splintered

The Fourth Circuit's en banc ruling in U.S. v. Chatrie upheld the use of a geofence warrant that led to a robbery suspect’s identification, but revealed deep judicial divisions over the constitutional limits of digital surveillance. With one per curiam affirmation and nine divergent opinions, the decision underscores the unsettled legal landscape around geofence warrants. The post En Banc Fourth Circuit Geofence Decision is Splintered appeared f…