West Palm Beach Attorney David J. Glatthorn Comments on Supreme Court Ruling on Cellphone Privacy
West Palm Beach, FL (PRWEB) July 31, 2014 -- Commenting on recent news stories about cellphone searches by police, West Palm Beach attorney David Glatthorn of David Glatthorn Law today said the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling on the matter is a victory for everyone who cherishes their right to privacy.
The June 25 decision by the Supreme Court found that police cannot search cellphones and smartphones without a warrant, according to a June 26 CNN article and several other media reports. Cellphones and other electronic devices now are grouped in with products such as wallets, handbags and automobiles – personal property that is subject to “limited initial examination by law enforcement,” according to CNN.
According to Riley v. California, which can be found at supremecourt.gov, the justices stated that the Fourth Amendment was the Founding Fathers’ response to rules of the Colonial era in which British officers were allowed to rummage through homes in search of evidence of criminal activity.
“This is a landmark ruling,” said Glatthorn, an attorney who represents people injured because of negligence and families who have lost loved ones in accidents. “The Founding Fathers didn’t own cellphones, but they fought to protect the personal information of all citizens from unrestrained searches. Sensitive information that was once kept in people’s homes is now stored in mobile devices. The Supreme Court’s ruling adheres to the philosophy of the Constitution.”
According to supremecourt.gov, the ruling reads, in part: “The fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the Founders fought. Our answer to the question of what police must do before searching a cell phone seized incident to an arrest is accordingly simple – get a warrant.”
Glatthorn said the ruling comes at a time when many Americans are concerned about government surveillance in light of disclosures made by National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.
“This ruling shows that the Supreme Court is concerned about intrusions on privacy, and I praise them for upholding the principles of our founders,” Glatthorn said. “We must continue to be vigilant about preserving privacy, especially as technology continues to change the way we live.”
The CNN article cited is “Supreme Court: Police need warrant to search cell phones.”
About Attorney David J. Glatthorn
David Glatthorn is the sole practitioner at his West Palm Beach law firm. He handles cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, slip and fall accidents, negligent security, wrongful death, and other personal types of personal injury cases. David Glatthorn graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of South Florida in 1977 and a J.D. with honors from Florida State University School of Law in 1980. He has proudly served victims of personal injuries since 1980.
Attorney Glatthorn is also a member of the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum, reserved for the 1% of lawyers nationwide who have received a verdict or settlement worth $1 million or more. In addition, David Glatthorn is a Board Certified Trial Lawyer, a distinction achieved by only 4% of Florida attorneys.
For a free case consultation, call (561) 659-1999. To find out more about David Glatthorn, visit http://www.davidglatthornlaw.com
David Glatthorn Law is located at 506 Datura St, West Palm Beach, FL 33401.
Jacob M Del Hagen, Big Voodoo Interactive, http://www.bigvoodoo.com, +1 (413) 650-0593, [email protected]
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