# What is the Supreme Court case United States v.

Mitchell Miller about?

legalpdf.io · August 4, 2026

> The case established that individuals have no reasonable expectation of privacy in their bank records under the Fourth Amendment. The key issue was...

The case established that individuals have no reasonable expectation of privacy in their bank records under the Fourth Amendment.

The key issue was whether Mitchell Miller had a legitimate expectation of privacy in the bank records subpoenaed by the government.

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The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of the United States, finding that the bank records were the bank's business records, not Miller's personal records.

This decision overturned a lower court ruling that had suppressed the bank records as a violation of Miller's Fourth Amendment rights.

The Court reasoned that by voluntarily conveying the information to the bank, Miller had assumed the risk that the bank would disclose it to the government.

This case established the "third-party doctrine" in Fourth Amendment jurisprudence, which holds that information voluntarily provided to a third party is not protected.

The dissenting justices, Brennan and Marshall, argued that the decision undermined privacy rights and expanded government power.

The case was a landmark decision that provided the legal foundation for the government's ability to access financial records without a warrant.

Prior to this case, the Court had recognized a right to privacy in personal financial records under the Fourth Amendment.

The Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, which required banks to maintain records, was a key factor in the Court's reasoning.

The case has faced criticism over the years for eroding privacy protections and enabling increased government surveillance.

Legal scholars have debated whether United States v.

Miller should be reconsidered or overturned in light of modern privacy concerns.

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