A Virginia district court initially found the warrant unconstitutional but found that law enforcement had relied on the warrant in good faith and declined to suppress the evidence. United States v. Chatrie, 590 F. Supp. 3d 901 (E.D. Va. 2022). The Fourth Circuit, sitting en banc, affirmed the district court's decision in a single-sentence per curium opinion, followed by nine concurrences and dissents, totalling 126 pages. United States v. Chatrie, 2025 WL 1242063 (4th Cir. Apr. 30, 2025). The Supreme Court will hear argument in April, 2026.
The Fourth Amendment Center is arguing that geofence warrants are unconstitutional general warrants issued without identifying a particular suspect, searching the data of millions of people without cause and with too much police discretion.
Supreme Court of the United States
4th Circuit Court of Appeals
4th Circuit En Banc
- Petition for Rehearing En Banc
- Amicus Briefs
- En Banc Decision
4th Circuit Panel
Eastern District of Virginia
- Google Affidavits Responding to Subpoena
- Geofence Warrant
- Geofence Discovery Motion
- Motion to Suppress Geofence Warrant (ECF 29)
- Defendants Reply to Motion to Suppress
- Amicus Brief by Google in Support of Neither Party
- Motion to Seal Raw Data Returns Provided by Google
- Defendant's Response to Google's Amicus Brief
- Motion for Suppoena Duces Tecum
- Order Granting Subpoena to Google
- Supplemental Brief on the Application of Brady and Rule 16 to a Suppression Hearing
- Defendant's Response to Government's Supplemental Brief
- Supplemental Motion to Suppress
- Second Subpoena Duces Tecum Pursuant to Rule 17
- Supplemental Response Regarding Standing
- Post-Hearing Supplemental Motion to Supress
- Post- Hearing Reply to Government's Response in Opposition to Motion to Suppress
- March 4th, 2022 Transcript
- March 5th, 2022 Transcript
- Eastern Distict of Virginia Ruling
