Northern District of Illinois to consider whether automated license plate readers violate Fourth Amendment

On May 30, 2024, the Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit against the Illinois State Police, Illinois Attorney General, and the Governor of Illinois on behalf of multiple Cook County residents arguing that the use of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) constitutes an unreasonable search in violation of the Fourth Amendment. Scholl et al v. Illinois State Police et al, asserts that the ALPRs automatically capture and record images of every car that drives past without a warrant or cause. Municipalities that use ALPRs should keep an eye on this lawsuit – depending on the outcome, municipalities may want to evaluate their own use of ALPRs.