Gates v. State

Summary

The Court held that Gates had a Georgia constitutional right to privacy in his hospital medical records, including BAC test results obtained during medical treatment. Because the State obtained those records through an ex parte court order lacking a demonstrated probable-cause determination and warrant safeguards, the order was materially like an unconstitutional ex parte subpoena rather than a valid search warrant, requiring suppression. The Court reversed the trial court's denial of Gates's suppression motion.