Where Does A Hack Happen? Computer Intrusion Crimes and Constitutional Venue

Authors

Harrison Parker Blanchard GrantFollow

Abstract

The United States Constitution guarantees the right to a criminal trial where the criminal offense was committed. This guarantee—the venue requirement—forces courts to analyze where criminal conduct occurred. Technology makes that locational analysis more complicated. For one computer hacker, that same analysis led to his trial and conviction in Massachusetts, despite the fact that he did not hack into anything in Massachusetts. This Article examines the hacker’s case, exploring the technologies used to execute the hack and linking those technologies to the hacker’s trial in Massachusetts.

Recommended Citation

Blanchard Grant, Harrison Parker (2025) "Where Does A Hack Happen? Computer Intrusion Crimes and Constitutional Venue," Criminal Law Practitioner: Vol. 15: Iss. 2, Article 3.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/clp/vol15/iss2/3