![](https://www.aclu-nj.org/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail_130x110/public/field_image/dscf5680_0.jpg?itok=XylK6onu)
The ACLU-NJ participated as amicus curiae at the New Jersey Supreme Court in a case that examined when the State could rely on claims of emergency to justify a warrantless search of cell phone records. In this case, the police obtained cell phone and location records from AT&T on a claim of exigency. However, because this was a routine murder investigation, the police could not meet their burden of showing that they could not have gotten a warrant. We asked the Court to apply a traditional exigency analysis and to clarify that the need for a warrant is paramount, only overcome in narrow circumstances.