EFF and ACLU Push for Warrants on ALPR Searches in Sixth Circuit
EFF and ACLU filed an amicus brief demanding warrants for ALPR searches in Cleveland case.
Why it matters: This case may establish crucial limits on law enforcement's use of location tracking technology. The ruling will affect criminal and civil rights legal practices nationwide.
- EFF and ACLU filed the brief on November 9, 2026, in United States v. Sturdivant.
- Law enforcement tracked Sturdivant via about 3,000 ALPR devices in greater Cleveland without a warrant.
- Institute for Justice joined urging the court to classify ALPR tracking as a Fourth Amendment search.
- The case could set a precedent on warrant requirements for ALPR searches across the U.S.
On November 9, 2026, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed an amicus brief urging the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to require law enforcement to obtain warrants before accessing automated license plate reader (ALPR) data. The case at the center of this legal push is United States v. Sturdivant, involving Lawrence Sturdivant, who was charged with multiple robberies after his movements were tracked through a network of approximately 3,000 ALPRs deployed across greater Cleveland.
The ALPR system collected his location data without a warrant, raising critical Fourth Amendment questions. The EFF and ACLU argue that this kind of surveillance constitutes a search that must comply with the Constitutional requirement of a warrant.
Adding weight to the brief, the Institute for Justice also filed an amicus brief advocating that ALPR tracking is a protected search under the Fourth Amendment. As attorney Michael Soyfer of the Institute put it, "ALPRs can sometimes be a valuable crime-solving tool, but that does not mean that police should be able to disregard the Fourth Amendment when using them."
The case is poised to set a legal benchmark for privacy rights concerning location tracking technologies nationwide. Currently, many law enforcement agencies use ALPRs widely, but legal standards for when and how they may do so remain inconsistent.
The Sixth Circuit’s decision will clarify whether warrantless access to ALPR data is permissible, directly impacting criminal defense strategies and civil liberties advocates focused on preventing governmental overreach in digital surveillance.
By the numbers:
- 3,000 ALPR devices — used to track Sturdivant’s movements in Cleveland
- November 9, 2026 — date EFF and ACLU filed their amicus brief
What's next: The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has yet to announce a decision date for United States v. Sturdivant, which could shape future Fourth Amendment case law on digital location tracking.