city ontario california et al quon et argued april decided june petitioner ontario hereinafter city acquired alphanumeric pagers able send receive text messages contract service provider arch wireless provided monthly limit number characters pager send receive specified usage exceeding number result additional fee city issued pagers respondent quon officers police department opd also petitioner quon others exceeded monthly character limits several months running petitioner scharf opd chief sought determine whether existing limit low whether officers pay fees sending messages conversely whether overages personal messages arch wireless provided transcripts quon another employee august september text messages discovered many quon messages work related sexually explicit scharf referred matter opd internal affairs division investigating officer used quon work schedule redact transcript messages sent duty transcript showed messages related police business quon disciplined violating opd rules respondents exchanged text messages quon august september filed suit alleging inter alia petitioners violated fourth amendment rights federal stored communications act sca obtaining reviewing transcript quon pager messages arch wireless violated sca giving city transcript district denied respondents summary judgment constitutional claims relying plurality opinion ortega determine quon reasonable expectation privacy content messages whether audit nonetheless reasonable concluded turned whether scharf used improper purpose determining quon using pager waste time legitimate purpose determining efficacy existing character limits ensure officers paying hidden costs jury concluded scharf intent legitimate granted petitioners summary judgment ground violate fourth amendment ninth circuit reversed although agreed quon reasonable expectation privacy text messages appeals concluded search reasonable even though conducted legitimate rationale opinion pointed host means less intrusive audit scharf used concluded arch wireless violated sca giving city transcript held search quon text messages reasonable petitioners violate respondents fourth amendment rights ninth circuit erred concluding otherwise pp amendment guarantees person privacy dignity security arbitrary invasive governmental acts without regard whether government actor investigating crime performing another function skinner railway labor executives applies well government acts capacity employer treasury employees von raab members disagreed proper analytical framework fourth amendment claims government employers plurality concluded correct analysis two steps first government offices may open expectation privacy reasonable must consider operational realities workplace determine employee constitutional rights implicated second employee legitimate privacy expectation employer intrusion expectation noninvestigatory purposes well investigations misconduct judged standard reasonableness circumstances justice scalia concurring judgment dispensed operational realities inquiry concluded offices government employees generally covered fourth amendment protections also held government searches retrieve materials investigate violations workplace rules searches sort regarded reasonable normal context violate amendment pp even assuming quon reasonable expectation privacy text messages search reasonable approaches plurality justice scalia pp resolve parties disagreement quon privacy expectation prudence counsels caution facts case used establish premises define existence extent privacy expectations employees using communication devices rapid changes dynamics communication information transmission evident technology society accepts proper behavior present uncertain workplace norms law treatment evolve therefore preferable dispose case narrower grounds assumes arguendo quon reasonable privacy expectation petitioners review transcript constituted fourth amendment search principles applicable government employer search employee physical office apply well electronic sphere pp petitioners warrantless review quon pager transcript reasonable plurality approach motivated legitimate purpose excessive scope see reasonable grounds finding necessary noninvestigatory purpose chief scharf ordered audit determine whether city contractual character limit sufficient meet city needs also reasonably related objectives search city opd legitimate interest ensuring employees forced pay pockets expenses hand city paying extensive personal communications reviewing transcripts efficient expedient way determine whether either factors caused quon overages review also excessively intrusive ibid although quon exceeded monthly allotment number times opd requested transcripts august september order obtain large enough sample decide character limits efficaciousness messages quon sent duty redacted opd perspective fact quon likely limited privacy expectation lessened risk review intrude highly private details quon life similarly city legitimate reason search excessively intrusive light justification search regarded reasonable normal context thereby satisfy approach justice scalia concurrence conversely ninth circuit least intrusive means approach inconsistent controlling precedents see vernonia school dist acton pp whether respondents reasonable expectation privacy text messages quon need resolved argue search unreasonable quon also unreasonable make corollary argument search reasonable quon nonetheless unreasonable given litigating position conclusion search reasonable quon respondents prevail pp reversed remanded kennedy delivered opinion roberts stevens thomas ginsburg breyer alito sotomayor joined scalia joined except part stevens filed concurring opinion scalia filed opinion concurring part concurring judgment city ontario california et petitioners jeff quon et al writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit june justice kennedy delivered opinion case involves assertion government employer right circumstances described read text messages sent received pager employer owned issued employee employee contends privacy messages protected ban unreasonable searches seizures found fourth amendment constitution made applicable due process clause fourteenth amendment mapp ohio though case touches issues farreaching significance concludes resolved settled principles determining search reasonable city ontario city political subdivision state california case arose incidents respondent jeff quon employed ontario police department opd police sergeant member opd special weapons tactics swat team city opd opd chief lloyd scharf petitioners discussed two respondents share last name quon opinion quon refers jeff quon relevant events mostly revolve around october city acquired alphanumeric pagers capable sending receiving text messages arch wireless operating company provided wireless service pagers city service contract arch wireless pager allotted limited number characters sent received month usage excess amount result additional fee city issued pagers quon swat team members order help swat team mobilize respond emergency situations acquiring pagers city announced computer usage internet policy computer policy applied employees among provisions specified city reserves right monitor log network activity including internet use without notice users expectation privacy confidentiality using resources app pet cert march quon signed statement acknowledging read understood computer policy computer policy apply face text messaging text messages share similarities two differ important way case instance sent city computer transmitted city data servers text message sent one city pagers transmitted using wireless radio frequencies individual pager receiving station owned arch wireless routed arch wireless computer network remained recipient pager cellular telephone ready receive message point arch wireless transmitted message transmitting station nearest recipient delivery arch wireless retained copy computer servers message pass computers owned city although computer policy cover text messages explicit terms city made clear employees including quon city treat text messages way treated april staff meeting quon present lieutenant steven duke opd officer responsible city contract arch wireless told officers messages sent pagers considered messages means text messages fall city policy public information eligible auditing app duke comments put writing memorandum sent april chief scharf quon city personnel within first second billing cycle pagers distributed quon exceeded monthly text message character allotment duke told quon overage reminded messages sent pagers considered audited duke said however intent audit employee text messages see overage due work related transmissions ibid duke suggested quon reimburse city overage fee rather duke audit messages quon wrote check city overage duke offered arrangement employees incurred overage fees next months quon exceeded character limit three four times time reimbursed city quon another officer incurred overage fees pager usage august meeting october duke told scharf become bill collector scharf decided determine whether existing character limit low whether officers quon pay fees sending messages overages personal messages scharf told duke request transcripts text messages sent august september quon employee exceeded character allowance duke request administrative assistant employed opd contacted arch wireless verifying city subscriber accounts arch wireless provided desired transcripts duke reviewed transcripts discovered many messages sent received quon pager work related sexually explicit duke reported findings scharf along quon immediate supervisor reviewed transcripts review scharf referred matter opd internal affairs division investigation whether quon violating opd rules pursuing personal matters duty officer charge internal affairs review sergeant patrick mcmahon conducting review mcmahon used quon work schedule redact transcripts order eliminate messages quon sent duty reviewed content messages quon sent work hours mcmahon report noted quon sent received messages work hours month august work related sent many messages single day work average workday quon sent received messages related police business report concluded quon violated opd rules quon allegedly disciplined raising claims rev stat et popularly known stored communications act sca california law quon filed suit petitioners district central district california arch wireless individual relevant also named defendants quon joined suit another plaintiff party respondents exchanged text messages quon august september jerilyn quon jeff quon separated april florio opd employee jeff quon romantically involved steve trujillo another member opd swat team among allegations complaint petitioners violated respondents fourth amendment rights sca obtaining reviewing transcript jeff quon pager messages arch wireless violated sca turning transcript city parties filed summary judgment district granted arch wireless motion summary judgment sca claim denied petitioners motion summary judgment fourth amendment claims quon arch wireless operating supp cd cal relying plurality opinion ortega district determined quon reasonable expectation privacy content text messages whether audit text messages nonetheless reasonable district concluded turned chief scharf intent purpose audit determine quon using pager games time audit constitutionally reasonable audit purpose determine efficacy existing character limits ensure officers paying hidden costs constitutional violation occurred supp district held jury trial determine purpose audit jury concluded scharf ordered audit determine efficacy character limits district accordingly held petitioners violate fourth amendment entered judgment favor appeals ninth circuit reversed part panel agreed district jeff quon reasonable expectation privacy text messages disagreed district whether search reasonable even though search conducted legitimate rationale appeals concluded reasonable scope panel disagreed district observation means chief scharf used verify efficacy character limit without intruding respondents fourth amendment rights opinion pointed host simple ways chief used instead audit warning quon beginning month future messages audited asking quon redact transcript messages appeals concluded arch wireless violated sca turning transcript city ninth circuit denied petition rehearing en banc quon arch wireless operating judge ikuta joined six circuit judges dissented judge wardlaw concurred denial rehearing defending panel opinion dissent granted petition certiorari filed city opd chief scharf challenging appeals holding violated fourth amendment petition certiorari filed arch wireless challenging ninth circuit ruling arch wireless violated sca denied usa mobility wireless quon ii fourth amendment right people secure persons houses papers effects unreasonable searches seizures shall violated well settled fourth amendment protection extends beyond sphere criminal investigations camara municipal city county san francisco amendment guarantees privacy dignity security persons certain arbitrary invasive acts officers government without regard whether government actor investigating crime performing another function skinner railway labor executives fourth amendment applies well government acts capacity employer treasury employees von raab discussed principle physician employed state hospital alleged hospital officials investigating workplace misconduct violated fourth amendment rights searching office seizing personal items desk filing cabinet members agreed general principle ndividuals lose fourth amendment rights merely work government instead private employer plurality opinion see also scalia concurring judgment blackmun dissenting majority agreed needs beyond normal need law enforcement make warrant requirement impracticable government employers plurality opinion quoting new jersey blackmun concurring judgment opinion scalia quoting disagree proper analytical framework fourth amendment claims government employers plurality concluded correct analysis two steps first government offices may open fellow employees public expectation privacy reasonable must consider operational realities workplace order determine whether employee fourth amendment rights implicated view question whether employee reasonable expectation privacy must addressed basis next employee legitimate privacy expectation employer intrusion expectation noninvestigatory purposes well investigations misconduct judged standard reasonableness circumstances justice scalia concurring judgment outlined different approach opinion dispensed inquiry operational realities conclude offices government employees covered fourth amendment protections general matter also held government searches retrieve materials investigate violations workplace rules searches sort regarded reasonable normal context violate fourth amendment later von raab decision explained operational realities diminish employee privacy expectations diminution taken consideration assessing reasonableness workplace search two decades since however threshold test determining scope employee fourth amendment rights clarified though disagree whether quon reasonable expectation privacy petitioners respondents start premise plurality controls see brief petitioners brief respondents necessary resolve whether premise correct case decided determining search reasonable even assuming quon reasonable expectation privacy two approaches plurality justice scalia therefore lead result iii turning reasonableness search instructive note parties disagreement whether quon reasonable expectation privacy record establish opd outset made clear pager messages considered private city computer policy stated sers expectation privacy confidentiality using city computers app pet cert chief scharf memo duke statements made clear official policy extended text messaging disagreement least respondents see case whether duke later statements overrode official policy respondents contend duke told quon audit unnecessary quon paid overage quon reasonably expect contents messages remain private point assume inquiry operational realities called compare plurality opinion opinion scalia see also blackmun dissenting necessary ask whether duke statements taken announcing change opd policy whether fact appearance authority make change guarantee privacy text messaging also necessary consider whether review messages sent police pagers particularly sent officers duty might justified reasons including performance evaluations litigation concerning lawfulness police actions perhaps compliance state open records laws see brief petitioners citing cal public records act cal govt code ann et seq west matters bear legitimacy employee privacy expectation must proceed care considering whole concept privacy expectations communications made electronic equipment owned government employer judiciary risks error elaborating fully fourth amendment implications emerging technology role society become clear see olmstead overruled katz katz relied knowledge experience conclude reasonable expectation privacy telephone booth see harlan concurring clear courts present sure ground prudence counsels caution facts instant case used establish premises define existence extent privacy expectations enjoyed employees using communication devices rapid changes dynamics communication information transmission evident technology society accepts proper behavior one amici brief notes many employers expect least tolerate personal use equipment employees often increases worker efficiency see brief electronic frontier foundation et al another amicus points law beginning respond developments recently passed statutes requiring employers notify employees monitoring electronic communications see brief new york intellectual property law association citing del code tit stat ann west present uncertain workplace norms law treatment evolve even certain plurality approach right one difficulty predicting employees privacy expectations shaped changes degree society prepared recognize expectations reasonable see cell phone text message communications pervasive persons may consider essential means necessary instruments even might strengthen case expectation privacy hand ubiquity devices made generally affordable one counter employees need cell phones similar devices personal matters purchase pay employer policies concerning communications course shape reasonable expectations employees especially extent policies clearly communicated broad holding concerning employees privacy expectations technological equipment might implications future cases predicted preferable dispose case narrower grounds present purposes assume several propositions arguendo first quon reasonable expectation privacy text messages sent pager provided city second petitioners review transcript constituted search within meaning fourth amendment third principles applicable government employer search employee physical office apply least force employer intrudes employee privacy electronic sphere even quon reasonable expectation privacy text messages petitioners necessarily violate fourth amendment obtaining reviewing transcripts although general matter warrantless searches per se unreasonable fourth amendment specifically established exceptions general rule katz supra held workplace justify one exception plurality opinion scalia concurring judgment von raab approach plurality conducted noninvestigatory purpos investigatio misconduct government employer warrantless search reasonable measures adopted reasonably related objectives search excessively intrusive light circumstances giving rise search search satisfied standard plurality reasonable approach search justified inception reasonable grounds suspecting search necessary noninvestigatory purpose jury found chief scharf ordered search order determine whether character limit city contract arch wireless sufficient meet city needs ninth circuit noted legitimate rationale city opd legitimate interest ensuring employees forced pay pockets expenses hand city paying extensive personal communications scope search reviewing transcripts reasonable efficient expedient way determine whether quon overages result messaging personal use review also intrusive supra plurality opinion although quon gone monthly allotment number times opd requested transcripts months august september may reasonable well opd review transcripts months quon exceeded allowance certainly reasonable opd review messages two months order obtain large enough sample decide whether character limits efficacious worth noting internal affairs investigation mcmahon redacted messages quon sent duty measure reduced intrusiveness review transcripts furthermore assumption quon reasonable expectation privacy contents messages extent expectation relevant assessing whether search intrusive see von raab supra cf vernonia school dist acton even assume level privacy inhere messages reasonable quon conclude messages circumstances immune scrutiny quon told messages subject auditing law enforcement officer known actions likely come legal scrutiny might entail analysis communications circumstances reasonable employee aware sound management principles might require audit messages determine whether pager appropriately used given city issued pagers quon swat team members order help quickly respond crises given quon received assurances privacy quon anticipated might necessary city audit pager messages assess swat team performance particular emergency situations opd perspective fact quon likely limited privacy expectation boundaries need explore lessened risk review intrude highly private details quon life opd audit messages quon pager nearly intrusive search personal account pager wiretap home phone line search reveal intimate details quon life make unreasonable circumstances reasonable employer expect review intrude matters search permissible scope appeals erred finding search unreasonable pointed host simple ways verify efficacy character limit without intruding respondents fourth amendment rights panel suggested scharf warned quon month september forbidden using pager personal communications contents messages reviewed ensure pager used purposes time frame alternatively opd wanted review past usage asked quon count characters asked redact personal messages grant permission opd review redacted transcript ibid approach inconsistent controlling precedents repeatedly refused declare intrusive search practicable reasonable fourth amendment vernonia supra see also board ed independent school dist pottawatomie cty earls illinois lafayette rationale raise insuperable barriers exercise virtually powers judges engaged post hoc evaluations government conduct almost always imagine alternative means objectives government might accomplished skinner internal quotation marks brackets omitted analytic errors appeals case illustrate necessity principle even assuming ways opd performed search less intrusive follow search conducted unreasonable respondents argue search per se unreasonable light appeals conclusion arch wireless violated sca giving city transcripts quon text messages merits sca claim us even appeals correct conclude sca forbade arch wireless turning transcripts follow petitioners actions unreasonable respondents point authority proposition existence statutory protection renders search per se unreasonable fourth amendment precedents counsel otherwise see virginia moore search incident arrest illegal state law reasonable california greenwood rejecting argument state law forbade police search individual garbage search violate fourth amendment furthermore respondents maintain opd employee either violated law knew known arch wireless turning transcript violated law otherwise reasonable search opd rendered unreasonable assumption arch wireless violated sca turning transcripts search motivated legitimate purpose excessive scope search reasonable approach plurality reasons employer legitimate reason search search excessively intrusive light justification also concludes search regarded reasonable normal context satisfy approach justice scalia concurrence search reasonable appeals erred holding contrary petitioners violate quon fourth amendment rights finally must consider whether search violated fourth amendment rights jerilyn quon florio trujillo respondents sent text messages jeff quon petitioners respondents disagree whether sender text message reasonable expectation privacy message knowingly sends someone pager necessary resolve question order dispose case however respondents argue search unreasonable sergeant quon also unreasonable correspondents brief respondents capitalization omitted boldface deleted make corollary argument search reasonable quon nonetheless unreasonable quon correspondents see light litigating position conclusion search reasonable jeff quon necessarily follows respondents prevail search reasonable petitioners violate respondents fourth amendment rights erred concluding otherwise judgment appeals ninth circuit reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered city ontario california et petitioners jeff quon et al writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit june justice stevens concurring although join opinion full write separately highlight sensibly declined resolve whether plurality opinion ortega provides correct approach determining employee reasonable expectation privacy see ante justice blackmun writing four dissenting justices agreed justice scalia employee enjoys reasonable expectation privacy office advocated third approach reasonable expectation privacy inquiry separate proposed plurality justice scalia see ante recognizing particularly important safeguard public employee expectation privacy workplace light reality work modern time lacks tidy distinctions workplace private activities justice blackmun argued precise extent employee expectation privacy often turns nature search emphasized courts determine expectation light specific facts particular search rather announcing categorical standard see reasons stated page opinion clear respondent jeff quon law enforcement officer served swat team understood actions including communications official pager likely subject public legal scrutiny therefore limited expectation privacy relation particular audit pager messages whether one applies reasoning justice opinion justice scalia concurrence justice blackmun result judgment appeals case must reversed city ontario california et petitioners jeff quon et al writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit june justice scalia concurring part concurring judgment join opinion except part continue believe operational realities rubric determining fourth amendment application public employees invented plurality ortega standardless unsupported scalia concurring judgment case proper threshold inquiry whether fourth amendment applies messages public employees pagers whether applies general messages pagers see however need answer threshold question even accepting face value quon claims fourth amendment applies messages city search reasonable thus violate amendment see plurality opinion scalia concurring judgment since unnecessary decide whether fourth amendment applies unnecessary resolve approach controls plurality mine end matter concedes much ante yet inexplicably interrupts analysis recitation parties arguments concerning excursus complexity consequences answering admittedly irrelevant threshold question ante discussion unnecessary owe additional explanation declining decide issue explained makes difference also seems exaggerated applying fourth amendment new technologies may sometimes difficult necessary decide case choice implication ante electronic privacy concerned decide less otherwise less principle law necessary resolve case guide private action hedge bets concocting standards issuing opaque opinions view indefensible feeble excuse disregard duty worse still digression despite insistence agnostic proper test lower courts likely read instructive expatiation plurality approach apply applied ante hint proceed litigants likewise using threshold question whether fourth amendment even implicated basis bombarding lower courts arguments employer policies communicated whether authorized well latest trends employees use electronic media short saying saying says much inadvertent boosting plurality standard ironic fleshing fears applying test new technologies hard underscores unworkability standard rule requires evaluating whether given gadget necessary instrumen even top assessing degree law treatment workplace norms evolve ante put mildly unlikely yield objective answers concur judgment footnotes contend justice blackmun opinion controlling marks neither approach evaluating reasonable expectation privacy foreclosed indeed approach inquiry led conclusion shared justice scalia adopted plurality employee reasonable expectation privacy office see ortega plurality opinion justice blackmun applied fourth amendment warrant requirements workplace investigatory searches dissenting opinion whereas majority rejected view see plurality opinion scalia concurring judgment analysis regarding proper standard evaluating search employee reasonable expectation privacy produced opposite result case case implicate debate involve investigatory search jury concluded purpose audit determine whether character limits sufficient messages see ante footnotes despite disclaimer ante concurring opinion justice stevens concurrence implies ante also open question whether approach advocated justice blackmun dissent proper standard room reasonable debate two approaches advocated justices whose votes supported judgment plurality mine controlling marks unless overruled assuredly false test produced opposite result case still running