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U.S. v. DAVID

United States District Court, D. Nevada (1991) | 756 F.Supp. 1385

3 min read

TL;DR: An agent lawfully seized a suspect's digital organizer under exigent circumstances but then searched it without a warrant. The court suppressed the evidence, holding that the exigency justified the seizure but not the subsequent warrantless search of the device's contents.

Legal Significance: This case establishes that a password-protected digital device is analogous to a closed container, requiring a warrant for a search even after a lawful seizure under exigent circumstances, thereby separating an individual's possessory interests from their distinct privacy interests.