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NewsChicago Sun-TimesJuly 2, 2026Illinois

Supreme Court Rulings on Plea Deals and Digital Privacy

The Supreme Court recently issued two rulings regarding the enforceability of appeal waivers in plea deals and the classification of cellphone location data as a search. Justice Neil Gorsuch concurred with both outcomes but wrote separate opinions arguing that the Court should reconsider broader legal doctrines regarding coercive plea bargaining and Fourth Amendment privacy protections.

Supreme CourtFourth AmendmentPlea BargainingCivil LibertiesPrivacy Rights
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Why It Matters

These rulings clarify that defendants may challenge unconstitutional sentencing conditions despite appeal waivers and that police use of s to access cellphone location data constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment.

Key Facts

  • The Supreme Court ruled that an agreement not to appeal a sentence is unenforceable if it results in a miscarriage of justice.
  • The Supreme Court held that government-ordered analysis of cellphone location data via geofence warrants qualifies as a search under the Fourth Amendment.
  • Munson P. Hunter III was sentenced to four years in prison for wire fraud with a requirement to take prescribed mental health medications.
  • The Court ruled Hunter may challenge the forced medication requirement as unconstitutional despite a prior waiver of his right to appeal.
  • Justice Gorsuch noted that approximately 95% of felony convictions in the U.S. are based on plea bargains.
  • Justice Gorsuch argued that the 'reasonable expectation of privacy' test established in 1967 lacks a basis in the Constitution's text or history.
  • Justice Gorsuch criticized the 1976 third-party doctrine, which suggests individuals lose privacy expectations when sharing information with third parties.

Who's Mentioned

organizationU.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit“Lower court that initially ruled against Hunter's right to appeal.”organizationGoogle“Tech company whose location data was subject to a geofence warrant.”personMunson P. Hunter III“Defendant in the wire fraud case involving forced medication.”personNeil Gorsuch“Supreme Court Justice who wrote concurring opinions in the two cases.”