Code of Criminal Procedure · U.S. Supreme Court, 2012

United States v. Jones

United States v. Jones is a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision. This page summarizes key points and works through practice questions for Texas peace officer exam preparation.

Key points

  • Physical trespass on a vehicle to attach a GPS device
  • Installing the device and using it to monitor the vehicle is a Fourth Amendment search (trespass plus an attempt to obtain information)
  • Jones did not decide whether the search was reasonable; without a warrant or recognized exception it is likely unlawful

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Worked examples

Worked example 1

An officer attaches a GPS tracker to a suspect's car parked in the suspect's driveway. Without a warrant, this is:

  1. Lawful — vehicles are public
  2. A Fourth Amendment search — attaching a GPS device to a vehicle and using it to track the vehicle is a search under Jones; without a warrant or recognized exception it is likely unlawful Correct
  3. Lawful as long as no movement is tracked
  4. Lawful in driveways
Why: Jones held that installing a GPS device on a vehicle and using it to monitor the vehicle's movements is a Fourth Amendment 'search' (a trespass combined with an attempt to obtain information). The Court did not decide whether that search was unreasonable without a warrant, but absent a warrant or a recognized exception it is likely unlawful.
Statute: United States v. Jones, 565 U.S. 400 (2012)