Commonwealth v. Kurtz, J., Aplt.

Summary

The Court held that a person who conducts a general, unprotected internet search has no constitutionally recognized expectation of privacy in the search records voluntarily transmitted to the search engine. It concluded that the traditional third-party doctrine applies under both the Fourth Amendment and Article I, Section 8, so Kurtz could not challenge the warrant on privacy grounds. Because Kurtz lacked a privacy interest, the Court did not reach whether the warrant was supported by individualized probable cause and affirmed.