Katz v. New York City

Katz v. New York City was a Supreme Court case that decided the Fourth Amendment protects people’s privacy, not just their physical space or belongings. In the case, police used a wiretap device to listen to Charles Katz’s phone calls without a warrant. The Court ruled this was a violation of his privacy rights because he had a reasonable expectation of privacy when using a public phone booth. The decision established the “reasonable expectation of privacy” test, meaning authorities need a warrant to conduct searches or surveillance that infringe on personal privacy, even in public places.