First Warrant to Search Computer Data

February 19, 1971

The first warrant is issued to search a computer’s storage. The warrant allowed the searching of:

1. Key Punch Computer Cards, punched with a proprietary remote plotting program
2. Computer Printout sheets of a proprietary remote plotting program
3. Computer memory bank and other data storage devices magnetically imprinted with the proprietary computer program.

This event would lead to increasingly sophisticated methods of encryption to hide computer files from law enforcement agents.