United States v. Karo

United States v. Karo
Argued April 25, 1984
Decided July 3, 1984
Full case nameUnited States v. Karo, et al.
Citations468 U.S. 705 (more)
104 S. Ct. 3296; 82 L. Ed. 2d 530; 1984 U.S. LEXIS 148; 52 U.S.L.W. 5102
Case history
Prior710 F.2d 1433 (10th Cir. 1983); cert. granted, 464 U.S. 1068 (1984).
SubsequentRehearing denied, 468 U.S. 1250 (1984)
Holding
The use of an electronic beeper device to monitor a can of ether without a warrant constituted unlawful search and seizure.
Court membership
Chief Justice
Warren E. Burger
Associate Justices
William J. Brennan Jr. · Byron White
Thurgood Marshall · Harry Blackmun
Lewis F. Powell Jr. · William Rehnquist
John P. Stevens · Sandra Day O'Connor
Case opinions
MajorityWhite, joined by Burger, Blackmun, Powell, Rehnquist, O'Connor (parts Parts I, II, IV)
MajorityWhite, joined by Burger, Brennan, Marshall, Blackmun, Powell, Stevens (Part III)
ConcurrenceO'Connor (in part and in judgment), joined by Rehnquist
Concur/dissentStevens, joined by Brennan, Marshall
Laws applied
U.S. Const. amend. IV

United States v. Karo, 468 U.S. 705 (1984), was a United States Supreme Court decision related to the Fourth Amendment protection from unreasonable search and seizure. It held that use of an electronic beeper device to monitor a can of ether without a warrant constituted an unlawful search. However, the Court upheld the conviction of Karo and his accomplices, stating that the warrant affidavit contained enough information not derived from the unlawful use of the beeper to provide sufficient basis for probable cause.