Forced Phone Fingerprint Unlock is Constitutional, Judge Says

A man must use his fingerprints to attempt to unlock his phone, an Illinois federal district court ordered in signing a search warrant, finding that the request does not violate the Fourth or Fifth Amendment.

The ruling adds to a growing list of disparate court opinions about whether forcing individuals to open their cell phones with biometric identifiers violates the Fifth Amendment’s right against self-incrimination. Federal and state judges across the country have come down on different sides of the constitutional question.

The government’s warrant application established probable cause to believe there was evidence of a crime on defendant Anthony ...