{
  "version": "3.33",
  "compiled": "2026-10-09",
  "site": "https://stateofwatch.com",
  "cases": [
    {
      "id": "schmidt",
      "caption": "Schmidt v. City of Norfolk",
      "short": "Schmidt v. Norfolk",
      "subject": "Is Norfolk's 176-camera Flock network a Fourth Amendment search?",
      "court": "U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (appeal from E.D. Va.)",
      "docket": "4th Cir. No. 26-1227",
      "dockets": [
        "4th Cir. No. 26-1227",
        "E.D. Va. No. 2:24cv621"
      ],
      "judge": "District: Judge Mark S. Davis",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "On appeal. The district court granted the City summary judgment on Jan 27, 2026.",
      "next": {
        "date": "2026-12-08",
        "label": "Oral argument, tentatively Dec 8-11, 2026",
        "firm": false,
        "note": "Tentatively calendared for Dec 8-11, 2026, with an unresolved scheduling conflict likely to push it to January or March 2027. Not a settled date."
      },
      "sealed": [
        "The opening of paragraph 41 of the Valentin Estevez report, which says whose plates the top-5% capture analysis covered, is redacted in the public refiling (Doc. 180-1)."
      ],
      "pending": [
        "Whether argument stays in December or moves to January or March 2027.",
        "Whether the Supreme Court takes Porter v. United States (No. 26-5121), which Norfolk named as the similar pending case. Distributed for the Sept 28, 2026 conference."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-09-28",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2025-08-15",
          "text": "Court denies the City's motion to compel the plaintiffs' phone location data and orders it to destroy records Schmidt's carrier improperly disclosed (Doc. 104)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2025-11-21",
          "text": "City refiles the Estevez declaration and report publicly, with redactions (Doc. 180-1)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-01-27",
          "text": "District court grants summary judgment to the City (Doc. 191)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-04-20",
          "text": "Amicus briefs filed for Plaintiffs-Appellants."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-06-11",
          "text": "City files its response brief."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-06-18",
          "text": "Amicus briefs filed for the City, including sixteen states and the United States."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-07-23",
          "text": "Plaintiffs-Appellants' Reply Brief (Doc. 59)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-08",
          "text": "Tentatively calendared for the Dec 8-11 session; clerk asks about similar pending cases."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-09",
          "text": "City answers \"YES\" to the similar-case question, naming the pending cert petition in Porter v. United States, No. 26-5121 (Doc. 63)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-15",
          "text": "Deadline to flag conflicts; both sides do."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "schmidt-ruling",
        "schmidt-capture-frequency",
        "schmidt-csli-subpoena",
        "schmidt-amici",
        "schmidt-similar-case",
        "schmidt-argument-date",
        "states-brief-gregory",
        "ankle-monitor-origin"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/schmidt"
    },
    {
      "id": "klein",
      "caption": "State of Texas v. Zachary Klein",
      "short": "Texas v. Klein (Lufkin)",
      "subject": "A Lufkin police officer convicted on 100 felony counts of misusing Flock data.",
      "court": "159th Judicial District Court, Angelina County, Texas",
      "docket": "Case No. 2026-0455",
      "dockets": [
        "Case No. 2026-0455"
      ],
      "judge": "Judicial Officer Todd Kassaw",
      "live": false,
      "stage": "Pleaded guilty to all 100 counts of misuse of official information (Tex. Penal Code § 39.06(e)) on Sept 30, 2026; convicted and committed directly to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, 5 years on each count, with 42 days of jail credit. Case disposed.",
      "next": null,
      "sealed": [
        "The indictment image is restricted on the county's public portal (\"Your user does not have permissions to view this document\"); only the register of actions is public.",
        "No probable-cause affidavit appears on the register of actions. KTRE (Sept 28, 2026) cites an arrest affidavit, which is not on this docket."
      ],
      "pending": [
        "Whether the 11-people and seven-plates figures reconcile.",
        "The scope behind the \"more than 10,000\" search figure, which KTRE attributes to the arrest affidavit.",
        "Whether the 100 five-year sentences run concurrently; the register does not say."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-10-01",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-08-20",
          "text": "Arrested by Texas Rangers on abuse-of-official-capacity and tampering charges."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-08-21",
          "text": "Case filed; grand jury indictment on 100 counts."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-08-24",
          "text": "Motion to Reduce Bond filed."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-08-25",
          "text": "Capias issued."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-08-28",
          "text": "Standard Discovery Order entered; USA TODAY publishes."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-28",
          "text": "Arraignment before Judge Todd Kassaw; motion to reduce bond granted, $500,000 to $250,000 (KTRE)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-30",
          "text": "Pleads guilty to all 100 counts; convicted and committed directly to prison, 5 years on each count, 42 days' jail credit."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "klein-lufkin"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/klein"
    },
    {
      "id": "javorsky",
      "caption": "In re Flock Group Inc. Automated License Plate Reader Litigation (Javorsky v. Flock Group, Inc.)",
      "short": "Javorsky v. Flock",
      "subject": "California class action alleging Flock shared plate data with out-of-state and federal agencies.",
      "court": "U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal.",
      "docket": "No. 3:26-cv-02375 (consolidated)",
      "dockets": [
        "No. 3:26-cv-02375",
        "No. 4:26-cv-02382-HSG",
        "S.F. Superior Court (original filing)"
      ],
      "judge": "Judge Vince Chhabria",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Consolidated May 29, 2026 with Eldridge v. Flock and Dutcher v. Flock.",
      "next": null,
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "No next date is recorded in this file."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-09-24",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-02-26",
          "text": "Complaint filed in San Francisco Superior Court."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-03-23",
          "text": "Reassigned to Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. after removal."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-04-03",
          "text": "Amended complaint."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-05-08",
          "text": "Related to the consolidated case; reassigned to Judge Chhabria."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-05-29",
          "text": "Consolidated into No. 3:26-cv-02375."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "javorsky-complaint",
        "mountain-view-shutdown"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/javorsky"
    },
    {
      "id": "riley-thomas",
      "caption": "United States v. Riley Thomas",
      "short": "U.S. v. Riley Thomas",
      "subject": "Whether a particular Flock search intruded on a defendant's privacy rights.",
      "court": "U.S. District Court, N.D. Cal.",
      "docket": "No. 5:25-cr-00095-PCP",
      "dockets": [
        "No. 5:25-cr-00095-PCP"
      ],
      "judge": "Judge P. Casey Pitts",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Evidentiary hearing ordered Sept 9, 2026 (Doc. 79). Government moved Sept 22 for leave to seek reconsideration.",
      "next": {
        "date": null,
        "label": "Evidentiary hearing, date not set in this file",
        "firm": false,
        "note": "The reconsideration request was unresolved as of Sept 23, 2026."
      },
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "Ruling on the government's request for leave to seek reconsideration."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-09-23",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-09-09",
          "text": "Order for an evidentiary hearing (Doc. 79)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-22",
          "text": "Government moves for leave to seek reconsideration."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "riley-thomas"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/riley-thomas"
    },
    {
      "id": "save-26a308",
      "caption": "Department of Homeland Security v. League of Women Voters",
      "short": "DHS v. League of Women Voters",
      "subject": "Stay application over the expanded SAVE voter-verification program.",
      "court": "Supreme Court of the United States",
      "docket": "No. 26A308",
      "dockets": [
        "No. 26A308",
        "D.C. Cir. Nos. 26-5243 & 26-5301"
      ],
      "judge": "Application to Chief Justice Roberts",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Stay granted Sept 25, 2026, Justices Jackson, Sotomayor and Kagan dissenting. Judge Sooknanan's June 22 order is on hold through the D.C. Circuit appeal and any petition for certiorari.",
      "next": {
        "date": null,
        "label": "D.C. Circuit decision on the appeal (No. 26-5243)",
        "firm": false,
        "note": "No argument date was scheduled as of Oct. 2, 2026. The parties filed a proposed briefing schedule that day; the source reviewed does not show whether the court adopted it."
      },
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "Consolidated D.C. Circuit appeals, Nos. 26-5243 and 26-5301."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-10-02",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-06-22",
          "text": "Judge Sooknanan vacates the modified SAVE system and the 2025 DHS and SSA notices; DHS says it immediately disables the modified system."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-07-07",
          "text": "Northern District of Florida orders DHS to restore bulk-upload and SSN-search access for Florida, Indiana, Iowa and Ohio; DHS later tells the Supreme Court it restored affected features for those states while keeping them disabled elsewhere."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-04",
          "text": "Divided D.C. Circuit panel denies a stay and expedites the consolidated appeals."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-08",
          "text": "Solicitor General applies for a stay."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-15",
          "text": "Respondents and Texas respond."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-16",
          "text": "DHS reply filed."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-25",
          "text": "Supreme Court grants the stay (per curiam); Justice Jackson dissents, joined by Justices Sotomayor and Kagan."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-10-02",
          "text": "USCIS says SAVE user agencies can again initiate cases with full or partial Social Security numbers and use bulk upload. The parties separately propose a merits-briefing schedule; no oral argument is yet scheduled."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "save-scotus-stay",
        "save-67m-checks"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/save-26a308"
    },
    {
      "id": "riley-holly",
      "caption": "United States v. Melvin L. Riley and Kenneth Michael Holly, Jr.",
      "short": "U.S. v. Riley & Holly",
      "subject": "Suppression motion over Culver City's Flock and Carson's Motorola ALPR systems.",
      "court": "U.S. District Court, C.D. Cal.",
      "docket": "No. 2:25-cr-00380-VAP",
      "dockets": [
        "No. 2:25-cr-00380-VAP"
      ],
      "judge": "Judge Virginia A. Phillips",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Suppression denied Sept 10, 2026 (Doc. 181).",
      "next": null,
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "No next date is recorded in this file."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-09-24",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-09-10",
          "text": "Suppression denied (Doc. 181)."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "riley-holly"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/riley-holly"
    },
    {
      "id": "press-ban",
      "caption": "CNN, MS NOW, and Politico v. the White House press ban",
      "short": "Press-ban suit",
      "subject": "Challenge to the White House ban on three outlets.",
      "court": "U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia",
      "docket": null,
      "dockets": [],
      "judge": null,
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Filed Sept 21, 2026.",
      "next": null,
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "Docket number and next date are not in this file yet."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-09-24",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-09-18",
          "text": "Ban announced on Truth Social."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-21",
          "text": "Suit filed."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "press-ban"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/press-ban"
    },
    {
      "id": "schemel",
      "caption": "Schemel v. City of Marco Island",
      "short": "Schemel v. Marco Island",
      "subject": "Is Marco Island's three-bridge ALPR network a Fourth Amendment search?",
      "court": "U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (appeal from M.D. Fla.)",
      "docket": "11th Cir. No. 25-13913",
      "dockets": [
        "11th Cir. No. 25-13913",
        "M.D. Fla. No. 2:22-cv-79-KCD-DNF"
      ],
      "judge": "District: Judge Kyle C. Dudek (M.D. Fla.)",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "On appeal. District court dismissed the Fourth Amendment claim with prejudice on Oct 17, 2025 (2025 WL 2958798, Doc. 90).",
      "next": {
        "date": null,
        "label": "No argument date set",
        "firm": false,
        "note": "Fully briefed as of early 2026. Last docket activity: Jul 17, 2026 (City's Chatrie 28(j) response). No argument date set as of Sept 28, 2026."
      },
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "11th Circuit argument date and decision.",
        "Whether the 11th Circuit applies Chatrie v. United States (SCOTUS June 29, 2026) to the three-bridge network."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-09-28",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2025-10-17",
          "text": "District court dismisses Fourth Amendment claim with prejudice; Florida state claims without prejudice (Doc. 90, 2025 WL 2958798)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-03-20",
          "text": "City files 28(j) letter citing United States v. Porter, 170 F.4th 381 (5th Cir. Mar. 17, 2026) (entry 35)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-07-10",
          "text": "Appellants (NCLA) file 28(j) letter citing Chatrie v. United States, No. 25-112 (U.S. June 29, 2026) (entry 48)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-07-17",
          "text": "City files response to the Chatrie 28(j) letter (entry 49)."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "schemel-ruling"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/schemel"
    },
    {
      "id": "la-protester-policy",
      "caption": "Los Angeles suit over the DHS \"Protester Surveillance Policy\"",
      "short": "LA protester-surveillance suit",
      "subject": "Alleged face and plate scanning of observers and retaliatory Global Entry revocations.",
      "court": "Federal court, Los Angeles",
      "docket": null,
      "dockets": [],
      "judge": null,
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Filed Jul 24, 2026.",
      "next": null,
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "Docket number and next date are not in this file yet."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-09-24",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-07-24",
          "text": "Suit filed."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "la-protester-policy-suit"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/la-protester-policy"
    },
    {
      "id": "mn-v-doj",
      "caption": "State of Minnesota v. U.S. Department of Justice",
      "short": "Minnesota v. DOJ",
      "subject": "Federal refusal to share evidence in the Good, Pretti and Sosa-Celis shootings",
      "court": "U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia",
      "docket": "1:26-cv-01007",
      "dockets": [
        "1:26-cv-01007 (D.D.C.)"
      ],
      "judge": "Emmet G. Sullivan",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Government moved to dismiss or transfer to Minnesota on Sept 28, 2026.",
      "next": {
        "date": "2026-10-13",
        "label": "Minnesota's opposition and cross-motion due",
        "firm": true,
        "note": "Minute order of Sept 17, 2026; government reply due Oct 20, Minnesota's reply Oct 27."
      },
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "Motion to dismiss or transfer (Docs. 23-24)"
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-09-29",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-03-24",
          "text": "Complaint filed (Doc. 1)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-06-18",
          "text": "Amended complaint filed with the agencies' response letters (Doc. 17)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-28",
          "text": "Government moves to dismiss or transfer (Docs. 23-24)."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "federal-evidence-blockade"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/mn-v-doj"
    },
    {
      "id": "schott-bexar",
      "caption": "Schott v. Bexar County, Texas",
      "short": "Schott v. Bexar County",
      "subject": "A fusion-center tip, a pretext stop and a truck search; county policy found to be the moving force.",
      "court": "U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas",
      "docket": "No. 5:23-cv-00706",
      "dockets": [
        "No. 5:23-cv-00706"
      ],
      "judge": "Judge Orlando L. Garcia",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Jury verdict for Schott Sept 28, 2026: county policy or custom drove the unconstitutional stop, extension and search; $76 awarded. Judgment not yet entered.",
      "next": {
        "date": null,
        "label": "Entry of judgment, post-trial motions and any appeal to the Fifth Circuit",
        "firm": false,
        "note": "No judgment on the docket as of Oct 1, 2026."
      },
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "Entry of judgment and Schott's request for an order against further stops of this kind."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-10-01",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2023-06-01",
          "text": "Schott sues Bexar County and deputies, represented by the Institute for Justice."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-02-26",
          "text": "Magistrate judge's report describes the fusion-center flag and recommends trial on most issues."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-06-05",
          "text": "Judge Garcia adopts the amended report and denies the county's summary-judgment motion."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-21",
          "text": "Jury trial begins."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-09-28",
          "text": "Jury finds the county liable on the stop, its extension and the search; awards $76."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "schott-verdict"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/schott-bexar"
    },
    {
      "id": "kyle",
      "caption": "United States v. Kyle",
      "short": "U.S. v. Kyle",
      "subject": "Whether a month of warrantless plate-reader history is a Fourth Amendment search.",
      "court": "U.S. District Court, N.D. Okla.",
      "docket": "No. 4:26-cr-00189-SEH",
      "dockets": [
        "No. 4:26-cr-00189-SEH"
      ],
      "judge": "Judge Sara E. Hill",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Motion to suppress granted Oct 1, 2026 (Doc. 62). The Oct 6 trial was stricken; Kyle was released on conditions Oct 5.",
      "next": {
        "date": null,
        "label": "Any government appeal to the Tenth Circuit",
        "firm": false,
        "note": "A government appeal of a suppression order is normally due within 30 days. No notice of appeal as of Oct 9, 2026."
      },
      "sealed": [
        "Doc. 48 (defense filing, Aug 3, 2026)",
        "Doc. 56 (government motion, Aug 26, 2026)"
      ],
      "pending": [
        "Whether the government appeals the suppression order."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-10-09",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-08-03",
          "text": "Kyle moves to suppress (Doc. 47)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-08-27",
          "text": "Evidentiary hearing on the motion."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-10-01",
          "text": "Opinion and order granting suppression (Doc. 62)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-10-02",
          "text": "Oct 6 jury trial stricken (Doc. 66)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-10-05",
          "text": "Detention order vacated; released on conditions (Docs. 69-71)."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "kyle-suppression"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/kyle"
    },
    {
      "id": "elser",
      "caption": "Elser v. Flock Group, Inc.",
      "short": "Elser v. Flock",
      "subject": "Colorado lawsuit over a theft charge built on Flock history, with class claims against Flock.",
      "court": "U.S. District Court, D. Colo.",
      "docket": "No. 1:26-cv-04977-NYW",
      "dockets": [
        "No. 1:26-cv-04977-NYW"
      ],
      "judge": "Judge Nina Y. Wang",
      "live": true,
      "stage": "Complaint filed Oct 5, 2026. Bow Mar has waived service; no defendant has responded.",
      "next": {
        "date": "2026-12-07",
        "label": "Bow Mar's answer due",
        "firm": false,
        "note": "Set by Bow Mar's waiver of service (Doc. 8). The other defendants' deadlines are not yet on the docket. A telephonic scheduling conference is set for Jan 6, 2027."
      },
      "sealed": [],
      "pending": [
        "Responses from Flock, Columbine Valley, Milliman and Cottrell."
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-10-09",
      "timeline": [
        {
          "date": "2026-10-05",
          "text": "Class action complaint filed (Doc. 1)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-10-07",
          "text": "Scheduling conference set for Jan 6, 2027 (Doc. 7)."
        },
        {
          "date": "2026-10-08",
          "text": "Bow Mar's waiver of service returned; answer due Dec 7 (Doc. 8)."
        }
      ],
      "claims": [
        "elser-v-flock"
      ],
      "url": "https://stateofwatch.com/cases/elser"
    }
  ]
}