Jesus calls Saint Peter the rock upon which the church will be built and grants him a high level of authority with the promise that “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” The U.S. Supreme Court has the ultimate authority and its decisions are binding when it comes to questions of law, and the court came down squarely on the side of privacy in a major ruling Wednesday on police searches of cell phone data.

The court ruled that police officers usually need a warrant before they can search an arrested suspect's cell phone, an important decision at a time of increasing concern over government encroachment on digital communications.

In an opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court said that the right of police to search an arrested suspect at the scene without a warrant does not extend in most circumstances to data held on a cell phone. There are some emergency situations in which a warrantless search would be permitted, the court noted.

The unanimous 9-0 ruling goes against law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice, which wanted more latitude to search without having to obtain a warrant. "We cannot deny that our decision today will have an impact on the ability of law enforcement to combat crime," Roberts wrote. The right to privacy, he said, "comes at a cost."

Homily hint: As our attention seems ever more drawn to the small screens on our cell phones, it’s worth pausing to reflect on the role your phone plays in your life, for instance whether you allow it to intrude at times when visiting with others, like at a meal. Being truly present and available to those in your company is an important gospel value. Put the phone in sleep mode and honor that presence.

Source: An article by Lawrence Hurley for Reuters