---
title: "Rakas v. Illinois"
citation: "Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128 (1978)"
authority_id: "AUTH-SCOTUS-RAKAS-439-US-128"
authority_type: "case"
jurisdiction: "federal_nationwide"
precedential_status: "binding"
official_url: "https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USREPORTS-439/pdf/USREPORTS-439-128.pdf"
url: "https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/authorities/AUTH-SCOTUS-RAKAS-439-US-128/"
legal_review: "2026-08-25"
links_checked: "2026-10-15"
links_available: 1
links_checked_count: 1
license: "CC BY 4.0"
---

# Rakas v. Illinois

## Holding used

Fourth Amendment rights are personal, and a privacy-based challenge asks whether the defendant's own legitimate expectation of privacy was invaded.

## Material limitation

The actual property, place, possession, permission, control, and claimed governmental conduct remain fact-specific.

## Official source and pinpoints

439 U.S. 128, 133–50 (1978): <https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USREPORTS-439/pdf/USREPORTS-439-128.pdf>


## Used in

- [Suppression, Severance, and Pretrial Evidentiary Motions](https://jason93.com/legal/federal-process/modules/20-pretrial/suppression-severance-and-pretrial-motions.md)