United States Ninth Circuit

Denial of motions to suppress evidence in a prosecution for recklessly causing damage by intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization are affirmed where: 1) although defendant had a reasonable expectation of privacy in his personal computer, a limited warrantless remote search of the computer was justified under the "special needs" exception to the warrant requirement; and 2) a subsequent search of his dorm room was justified, based on information obtained by means independent of a university search of the room.

Appellate Information

• Argued 08/17/2006
• Decided 04/05/2007
• Published 04/05/2007

Judges

• THOMAS, Circuit Judge., Before CANBY, HAWKINS, and THOMAS, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Benjamin Coleman, San Diego, CA, for the appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Hanley Chew, Assistant United States Attorney, San Francisco, CA, for the appellee.