ParallelConstruction.org is a public education resource on how law enforcement agencies hide the true origins of investigations—and what defendants, lawyers and the public can do about it.
Our Mission
To make parallel construction so widely understood that it can no longer operate in the shadows.
The Problem
The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures, and evidence obtained unconstitutionally is supposed to be kept out of court. Parallel construction lets agencies have it both ways: use a hidden source, then rebuild the case through ordinary-looking steps so the source never surfaces.
Most defendants never learn how they were really found. Their lawyers can't challenge evidence they don't know exists. Judges and juries decide cases on an incomplete record.
What We Do
- Explain what parallel construction is and how it works, in plain English.
- Document the reporting, court opinions and government records that exposed it.
- Keep Case Files on live federal cases where the public record leaves a gap in how an investigation began.
- Give defendants and defense lawyers practical questions to ask.
- Connect readers with organizations fighting for Fourth Amendment rights.
How We Handle Case Files
Every case file is built from public records—court filings, government releases and named news reporting—and every claim links to its source. Each file carries a status (Watching, Open Questions, Notice Filed or Confirmed) and the date we last reviewed it. Defendants are presumed innocent; we don't defend the conduct alleged. We ask whether the official story of how a case began is the whole story, and we downgrade our own files when the record answers that question.
Who We Are
This site is maintained by civil rights advocates who believe constitutional protections only matter if they're enforced. We are not attorneys and do not give legal advice.
We welcome corrections, case tips and documents from the public record. Contact us.