Cops Don't Need Warrants to Plant GPS on Cars, Federal Court Says

let the swine play

Land of the free my arse.

I say this federal "judge" in California needs to be thrown out on his ear. His judgment capabilities have hit bottom. Maybe he needs to be followed around wherever he goes, but the average decent American should not have to be concerned about others knowing where he or she is at any given time. That is an invasion of a legal American's privacy and the government should butt out of what doesn't concern them.

My opinion---I'm glad this drug dealer is behind bars, at least for a little while. And, next time the GPS device will give him something to worry about. If you can't do the time, don't...................

I would not feel to bad if the news had a story about someone who made a example of that judge at Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal. What a functioning moron.
That DA should be held accountable for bugging that car.
Slowly our rights are being taken away and its time for Americans to take control.
In Massachusetts a few years ago a DA sent a guy to jail. Well later when that DA was on his way home he got off the train and someone shot and killed him. To Bad :-)
The goverment has lost the war on drugs. Make them legal...

I'm concerned that the ruling was based solely on whether using the GPS violated someone's privacy. Wasn't the claim that the police entered private property to plant the GPS? Surely that's an invasion of privacy. Doesn't the 4th amendment require a warrant to do that? If so, any evidence obtained from the GPS is fruit of the poisonous tree. Or maybe I gotta stop watching Law and Oreder reruns?

It's just another way to make it a little more palatable for the American people to be weaned off their "Inalienable Rights".
Soon we'll be putting chips in newborns for their" own good" and no one will think any thing is wrong with it.

My problem with this is that they came onto his property to place the GPS. That is trespassing and last time I knew, it was against the law. So, the DEA broke the law in order to place the GPS. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.

Let me get this straight, the police without warrant, can trespass on your property, alter your vehicle to track your every move and the 9th thinks its okay? I know the 9th is whacked, but really?
I suppose that the rest of us American citizens can trespass onto other peoples property, alter their vehicles and track them too, including the police vehicles? What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Although I believe in supporting the police 100% this is wrong on so many levels, and the abuse that could occur is a very slippery slope.

GPS is a tool that should be available to law enforcement, but not without a warrant! Police officers can become too enthusiastic about field work and a judge should decide every time if such a measure is justified. A judge should also bear the weight of the decision of whether it is lawful, constitutional, or an envasion of a persons rights.

The potential for abuse by angry spouses/ significant others who work in law enforcement is profound. This is so wrong. A judge should at least have to be consulted and records kept of where each and every GPS is should be imperative.

Here's the problem with those of you who think "They'll only bug the guilty ones" or "you have nothing to fear if you have othing to hide".

How many Cops/Sherifffs/Deputies etc are little more than power mad bullies living out dreams of authority behind a badge?

I wouldn't say a lot - but everyone has heard a story or two. I knew of one in the town near where I grew up. He wound up being dismissed from the force for planting an illegal wiretap on his ex-wife's phone (she had filed a restraining order against him after some threats) . You're telling me that it should be LEGAL for him to plant a GPS on her car to know everywhere she went?

There is a reason for warrants. They are there to prove that there is a valid reason - a just cause - for police actions. It's NOT that hard to get a warrant for those cases that need them.