United States v. Karo
United States Supreme Court
468 U.S. 705 (1984)
Relevant factsFree
A DEA informant who sold ether containers told the DEA that James Karo (defendant) had ordered a large quantity of ether to process cocaine. With the informant's consent, the DEA planted a tracking beeper in one ether container and then continued monitoring it even after it moved into Karo's home, other residences, and private commercial buildings. The court of appeals held the tracking violated Karo's Fourth Amendment rights.
IssueFree
Whether a party's unknowing receipt of a container holding a tracking device constitutes a Fourth Amendment seizure, and whether continued monitoring of that device inside multiple private places constitutes a Fourth Amendment search.