55 years ago, the first computer search warrant was issued — in February 1971, a Santa Clara judge authorized police to seize punch cards and a 'computer memory bank'

In February 1971, a Santa Clara judge issued the first computer search warrant, allowing police to seize punch cards and a 'computer memory bank' in a case involving a remote-plotting system. The warrant highlighted the struggle to understand intangible forms of property in the early days of computing. Investigators in the 1970s were already dealing with digital forensics challenges, such as the density of information in computer systems and the need to preserve evidence properly. The case set a precedent for the careful definition of search warrants in computer-related investigations, a concept still relevant in today's digital crime landscape.