Category Archives: Seizure

WA: Stop to inquire of paying transit fare violated state constitution

Defendant’s freedom under the state constitution to not be interfered with in his private affairs was violated by a stop and inquiry whether he had paid a transit fare. He provided a false name that led to his prosecution for … Continue reading

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E.D.Tex.: Criminal trespass warning is not a 4A seizure

A criminal trespass warning is not a Fourth Amendment seizure. Shaikh v. Allen City Council, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 43571 (E.D. Tex. Feb. 8, 2023),* adopted, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42228 (E.D. Tex. Mar. 13, 2023).* A DEA stop of … Continue reading

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D.S.C.: Lack of nexus to def isn’t grounds for motion to suppress; that’s a trial question

Lack of nexus between drugs and the defendant is an evidentiary question for trial, not a motion to suppress. The search is legal in any event. United States v. Cunningham, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 43510 (D.S.C. Mar. 14, 2023). The … Continue reading

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OH5: EMT wasn’t state actor for 4A purposes in detaining def

A paramedic kept defendant from driving after an accident because defendant was too impaired to drive. That was not a government seizure, even if the paramedic was a state actor. State v. Cruz, 2023-Ohio-794, 2023 Ohio App. LEXIS 760 (5th … Continue reading

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CA9: Denying owner access to an impounded car for 30 days is an unreasonable seizure

Denying access to one’s car for 30 days after impoundment without justification was an unreasonable seizure under the Fourth Amendment. Untalan v. Stanley, 2023 U.S. App. LEXIS 4070 (9th Cir. Feb. 22, 2023). CI information led to surveillance then two … Continue reading

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D.Neb.: DTF officer’s moving luggage out of an interstate bus luggage hold wasn’t an unreasonable interference with possessory interest

Defendant was riding on an interstate bus, and at the stop at Omaha, a DTF officer pulled defendant’s bag out of the luggage hold to see who would claim it. This interference with the luggage was minimal and did not … Continue reading

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D.Md.: Being handcuffed means one could believe he or she is not free to leave

Handcuffing a person is a sure sign they are not free to leave. Here, however, it was justified by defendant’s own actions. United States v. Johnson, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 22159 (D. Md. Feb. 8, 2023).* A successor habeas doesn’t … Continue reading

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CA4: A civilian livestreaming police interaction is protected by 1A, but officer here gets QI

The First Amendment protects livestreaming interactions with police. But qualified immunity denies plaintiff’s claim. Sharpe v. Winterville Police Department, 2023 U.S. App. LEXIX 2959 (4th Cir. Feb. 7, 2023):

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NYLJ: Major Reform in Street Encounters Enacted by Police Department

NYLJ: Major Reform in Street Encounters Enacted by Police Department (“As a result of a class action lawsuit brought by the Legal Aid Society, the New York City Police Department has agreed to a major reform of its street encounter … Continue reading

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W.D.Ky.: Search warrant affiant’s reference to water emoji wasn’t false or misleading; it here referred to meth, not sex

Defendant’s Franks motion fails. Defendants’ use of a water emoji could have been a reference to sex, but it could also be a reference to methamphetamine, as has come up in police training and in other cases such as United … Continue reading

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E.D.N.Y.: Village’s Scofflaw law permitting seizure of vehicles for nonpayment of parking tickets violates lessor owner’s 4A rights in vehicle

The plaintiff Toyota Lease Trust owns vehicles it leases to individuals. One of plaintiff’s lessees ran up $1000 in unpaid parking tickets and the Village of Freeport seized the vehicle under its Scofflaw law. The seizure violated the owner’s Fourth … Continue reading

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M.D.Pa.: Refusal to show hands when ordered shows no seizure

Defendant’s refusal to show his hands when ordered to by the officer was not a seizure. United States v. Garner, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5400 (M.D. Pa. Jan. 11, 2023).* Defendant’s stop was justified and it escalated to reasonable suspicion … Continue reading

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CA8: An attempted arrest isn’t a seizure, even without PC

“However, an attempted arrest alone, even if unsupported by probable cause, is insufficient to invoke Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable seizures. See Hodari D., 499 U.S. at 626 (‘The word “seizure” … does not remotely apply … to the prospect … Continue reading

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Cal.: Officer spotlighting a parked car and then approaching isn’t necessarily a seizure

“A sheriff’s deputy patrolling after dark saw three people sitting in a legally parked car in a residential neighborhood, smoking something. He pulled up behind the car, illuminated it with a spotlight, and approached on foot. We granted review to … Continue reading

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NY Monroe Co.: Parts of NY red flag law may violate 2A and 4A

Parts of the NY red flag law concern the court. A taking of firearms should be based on a mental health professional’s assessment of danger to protect both Second and Fourth Amendment rights and procedural rights. G.W. v. C.N., 2022 … Continue reading

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CA8: “[E]ven if a technical violation of Nebraska law occurred when signing the warrant that is not a basis for suppressing the evidence” under 4A

“[E]ven if a technical violation of Nebraska law occurred when signing the warrant that is not a basis for suppressing the evidence” under the Fourth Amendment. United States v. Becker, 2022 U.S. App. LEXIS 35626 (8th Cir. Dec. 27, 2022). … Continue reading

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OH8: Calling for drug dog after warning ticket issued unreasonably extended stop

“Regardless, Officer Ashenfelter acknowledged that the traffic violation investigation was completed at 11:10. He called for the canine unit at 11:12, and the canine unit arrived at 11:18 a.m. [¶] Thus, the evidence reflects that the officer, after completing his … Continue reading

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S.D.N.Y.: The SW was as particular as the information officers had would allow

“In this case, by contrast, there is no indication that law enforcement had a wealth of detailed information that was not reflected in the search warrant. The Premises Warrant was not required to provide more details regarding the specific electronic … Continue reading

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NY Daily News: NYPD settles lawsuit over unconstitutional warrant checks

NY Daily News: NYPD settles lawsuit over unconstitutional warrant checks (“Conducting a warrant check on someone without sufficient cause violates a person’s fourth amendment rights, civil rights attorneys say.”) WaPo: NYPD ends tactic of prolonging stops to check for warrants … Continue reading

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S.D.Ind.: Forced Covid test didn’t violate 4A

Requiring plaintiff, who said he was positive for Covid-19, be tested before putting him in hospital was reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. It’s less intrusive than swabbing for DNA. Alternatively, qualified immunity applies. Mercado v. Columbus Reg’l Hosp., 2022 U.S. … Continue reading

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