Parts of Patriot Act ruled unconstitutional

It's a start, Judge Invalidates Patriot Act Provisions.

The secrecy provisions are "the legislative equivalent of breaking and entering, with an ominous free pass to the hijacking of constitutional values," Marrero wrote. His strongly worded 103-page opinion amounted to a rebuke of both the administration and Congress, which had revised the act in 2005 to take into account an earlier ruling by the judge on the same topic.

Unfortunately, as the Washington Post article points out is that there will be an appeal, and with the way things have gone thus far the chances of this holding up upon appeal are probably slim. Yet, perhaps it's a start and that the higher courts will also place the importance and value on our freedoms that Congress and the Whitehouse seem to have forgotten.