What must law enforcement officers have to search a cell phone without exigent circumstances?

To search a cell phone without exigent circumstances, law enforcement officers are required to obtain a warrant. This requirement stems from the Fourth Amendment, which protects individuals against unreasonable searches and seizures. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that the digital contents of a cell phone are entitled to a higher degree of privacy than physical objects, due to the vast amount of personal information they store and their pervasive use in society.

When officers seek to conduct a search, a warrant ensures that there is probable cause that a crime has been committed and that the search will yield evidence relevant to that crime. This judicial oversight helps safeguard individual rights and ensures that law enforcement conducts searches in a manner that adheres to constitutional protections.

Options that suggest simple suspicion, a supervisor's approval, or the presence of a witness do not meet the legal standard required for such a search. These alternatives do not provide the necessary legal framework to protect the rights of the individual whose cell phone is being searched.