TALLAHASSEE (AP) — Police in Florida aren't allowed to use a cellphone to track someone's movements according to a sweeping new ruling from the Florida Supreme Court.
The court by a 5-2 vote ruled Thursday that authorities in Broward County had no right to stop and arrest Shawn Tracey for possession of more than 400 grams of cocaine.
Law enforcement had a warrant that allowed them to monitor the phone numbers of incoming and outgoing phone calls.
But a majority of justices said that did not give them permission to track Tracey's movements through location of his phone.
One defense attorney called the ruling an “enormous victory” for privacy rights.
One of the dissenting justices contends that people should have no expectation of privacy if they keep their cellphones turned on.