2015 court ruling requires warrant for police use of stingray devices

What happened

A Baltimore judge concluded that law enforcement hid its use of a Stingray device by using a pen register order, violating disclosure obligations. The decision resulted in a landmark 2015 privacy ruling that police must obtain a warrant to use such cell‑site simulators. The ruling highlights judicial limits on warrantless location tracking.

Why it matters for trust and compliance

• Its status is decided. The case has an outcome that others may cite.
• The ruling establishes that police need a warrant to deploy stingray technology, protecting privacy rights against warrantless surveillance.

Who is affected

Recommended actions

1. Check that privacy notices describe the practices this addresses.