Category Archives: Overbreadth

CO: While trial court erred in considering officers’ subjective intent, there still wasn’t RS

“We conclude that while the trial court erred in considering the officers’ subjective intent in effectuating the seizure, it was nonetheless correct that the officers lacked reasonable and articulable suspicion to detain Brown. Accordingly, we affirm the trial court’s order … Continue reading

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N.D.Ind.: Prior knowledge of def was RS here

The officer well knew defendant and his vehicle. “That information, combined with his recognition of Bastin as he drove by him on the highway, was enough reasonable suspicion to justify an investigatory stop, the Government contends. As for the pretext … Continue reading

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N.D.Okla.: Misdemeanor arrest warrant permits forcible entry in this circuit

Plaintiff’s claim that a forcible entry for a misdemeanor warrant fails because this circuit has held for 25 years that Payton applies to misdemeanor warrants. Plaintiff does state a claim, however, for failure to knock-and-announce before entry. First v. Hokett, … Continue reading

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WA: Overbroad SW was severable as to three places searched

The Washington Division of Fish and Wildlife received detailed reports of defendant brothers’ charter boats engaging in unlawful recreational fishing of halibut to skirt the daily catch limit. They put an undercover officer (a former charter boat operator) on one … Continue reading

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D.Nev.: Important case: SW affidavit didn’t support the breadth of cell phone search

Defendant was arrested for sex trafficking child in a reverse sting operation, and the court finds the search warrant for his telephone lacked probable cause to search it for child pornography. “That Lofstead may have attempted to purchase commercial sex … Continue reading

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GA: Minor inconsistencies between driver and passenger during stop aren’t RS

Nervousness is normal during a traffic stop. “Lastly, inconsistencies in answers to police questions do not give rise to reasonable articulable suspicion unless the inconsistencies in the car occupants’ statements are meaningful.” These weren’t, so there was no reasonable suspicion. … Continue reading

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ABA: Litigation: Overbroad Searches and Seizures: Google Customer Data Stored Outside of Gmail

ABA: Litigation: Overbroad Searches and Seizures: Google Customer Data Stored Outside of Gmail, 48 Litigation 49 (No. 1, Oct. 1, 2021) by Mark Mermelstein, Sharon Frase, and Alison Epperson (“Tech giant customer data can contain most of a user’s electronic … Continue reading

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CA3: SW including “any and all cell phones” could be overbroad, but not here where there were only two

“Taylor contends that the description of ‘any and all cellular telephones’ contained in this warrant is overly broad and thus lacks the requisite particularity. Although a warrant allowing seizure of ‘any and all cellular telephones’ may be overbroad, this record … Continue reading

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CA10: PC doesn’t need to be decided where GFE would apply; overbroad SWs are severed

Probable cause does not have to be decided where the good faith exception would apply. The warrant was for firearm evidence and had a cell phone search provision. If the cell phone provision was overbroad, that should be severed and … Continue reading

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Two on alleged overbreadth

The Facebook warrant was kind of overbroad but was determined valid as a whole. “So as in Purcell, ‘the structure of the warrant rendered the specification of the suspected offense, while constitutionally indispensable, functionally unnecessary.’ Purcell, 967 F.3d at 183.” … Continue reading

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N.D.Ohio: “Days-old sale” of ½ ounce of marijuana didn’t justify wholesale search of records at home

The affidavit for search warrant based on an uncorroborated CI for sale of a ½ ounce of marijuana failed to show probable cause and it did not justify a search for virtually every document in the house or on his … Continue reading

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W.D.Wash.: iCloud SW temporal limit was impractical

An iCloud search warrant was not overbroad because the warrant sought a lot of material. Based on Apple’s protocols, it essentially had to be, and a time restriction wouldn’t be of any use. United States v. Woolard, 2021 U.S. Dist. … Continue reading

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GA: CSLI lawfully obtained in 2013 was subject to GFE

The acquisition of defendant’s CSLI in 2013 followed law at the time and was reasonable, and the good faith exception applied. Carpenter came four years after the trial. Lofton v. State, 2021 Ga. LEXIS 28 (Feb. 15, 2021). The officers … Continue reading

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W.D.N.C.: The part of the SW for drugs was severable and without PC; drugs found, however, were in plain view in stolen property search

The affidavit for this search warrant didn’t show probable cause to search for drugs, but it did for stolen property. Severing that part, when the officers searched for stolen property, they found drugs, and they were thus in plain view. … Continue reading

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MA: SW for CSLI for too much time was severable

The search warrant for too many hours of CSLI was overbroad: “The collection of extended CSLI data raises significant constitutional concerns.” Three hours is all that could be shown was necessary. The overbroad part, however, could be severed, and suppression … Continue reading

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KY: Affidavit for the SW limited the breadth of cell phone warrant

While the search warrant for defendant’s cell phone was arguably overbroad and not well drafted, it was limited by the affidavit in support as to the specific things to be sought. Tucker v. Commonwealth, 2020 Ky. App. LEXIS 112 (Oct. … Continue reading

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S.D.N.Y.: Preliminary search of electronic device to look for likely places to search was reasonable

A preliminary search of an electronic device under a warrant was permissible to determine what folders on it might be responsive to the search warrant without it being overbroad. United States v. Weigand, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 158771 (S.D. N.Y. … Continue reading

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N.D.Ill. rejects geofence warrant for cell phone and owner data as overbroad

A third geofence warrant to attempt to determine who was around stolen prescription medication. It too is denied as overbroad. In re Search of Info. Stored at Premises Controlled by Google, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 152712 (N.D. Ill. Aug. 24, … Continue reading

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OH2: The fact a SW had a laundry list of 182 things to search for and seize isn’t fatal where def doesn’t show what was overseized

The search warrant here was for illegal fireworks and listed 182 items to be seized, including fireworks. “Johnson also contends the warrant is invalid because it authorized the seizure of a boilerplate list of 182 items, all or most of … Continue reading

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DC: Cell phone SW was overbroad and exceeded the PC; no GFE

“We conclude that Mr. Burns has established violations of his rights under both the Fourth and the Sixth Amendments. Police sought search warrants that authorized an unlimited review of the contents of his cell phones for “any evidence” of murder … Continue reading

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