Category Archives: Subpoenas / Nat’l Security Letters

W.D.Pa.: No standing to contest civil investigative demands to third parties over medical records

Defendant had no standing to contest civil investigative demands to third parties, even involving medical records of others. United States v. Hertel & Brown Physical & Aquatic Therapy, 2025 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6437 (W.D. Pa. Jan. 13, 2025):

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W.D.Wash.: Hypothetical 4A violation from civil investigative demand doesn’t confer Art. III standing

Hypothetical future Fourth Amendment injury from a state AG’s civil investigative demand doesn’t confer Art. III standing. Obria Grp., Inc. v. Ferguson, 2025 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1166 (W.D. Wash. Jan. 3, 2025). “Here, a common-sense review of the warrant affidavit … Continue reading

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W.D.Tex.: Texas Request to Examine Statute fails under Patel

Texas’s Request to Examine Statute (“RTE Statute”; Tex. Bus. Orgs. Code §§ 12.151-12.156) violates Patel. “The issue before the court and, accordingly, this Report and Recommendation are not about whether the Attorney General has a right to request information from … Continue reading

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D.D.C.: Subpoena to govt contractor wasn’t too burdensome

As narrowed by the parties, the subpoena to Office Depot as a government contractor wasn’t too burdensome. United States v. Office Depot, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 197661 (D.D.C. Oct. 31, 2024)*:

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Bloomberg Law: Texas’ 100-Plus Year Investigatory Tool Ruled Unconstitutional

Bloomberg Law: Texas’ 100-Plus Year Investigatory Tool Ruled Unconstitutional by Ryan Autullo (“A federal magistrate judge has struck down a 100-plus year old Texas statute authorizing the state’s attorney general to investigate certain businesses and organizations for violating state laws. … Continue reading

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N.D.Okla.: Pipe on console of MMJ card holder not PC for plain view

A pipe on the car console of a MMJ card holder was not “immediately apparent” it was incriminating for plain view. United States v. Vasquez, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 174528 (N.D. Okla. Sep. 25, 2024). Plaintiff filed his Fourth Amendment … Continue reading

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CA1: GFE applies to alleged staleness of SW

Defendant operated a pill-making operation in his house for years without detection. He moved to a new place without suspicion for it. The warrant for the prior house was not sufficiently stale to still be valid under the good faith … Continue reading

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Cal.4: Defense subpoena for social media records was not improperly issued and enforced; holders of records got to be heard under SCA

Denying the state’s motion to quash a criminal subpoena duces tecum issued to social media companies was not error. Under the Stored Communications Act, the trial court allowed the companies an opportunity to be heard, conducted a sufficient analysis of … Continue reading

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W.D.Wash.: State admin. health and safety SW against private ICE jail not enjoined

The State of Washington got an administrative search warrant for a workplace inspection of a private jail operating for immigration. The jail sought federal removal and an injunction which is denied. Washington state law requires these workplace inspections, and GEO’s … Continue reading

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MT: State investigative subpoena for medical records requires showing of PC

An investigative subpoena for protected medical records must be based on probable cause. Here, there was objective facts in addition to defendant’s DUI prior that showed probable cause. State v. Hesser, 2024 MT 134, 2024 Mont. LEXIS 686 (June 25, … Continue reading

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OH10: Alleged violation of prosecutor’s subpoena power not subject to exclusionary rule; also, subject matter was third party record

A violation of the state prosecuting attorney’s subpoena power in felony cases was not subject to the exclusionary rule. In addition, obtaining third party information from an IP address is not a search. State v. Diaw, 2024-Ohio-2237, 2024 Ohio App. … Continue reading

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NE: LEO’s statutory jurisdictional authority is not an unreasonable search and seizure question

A law enforcement officer’s statutory power and authority to enforce laws outside of the officer’s primary jurisdiction does not implicate the Fourth Amendment or article I, § 7, of the Nebraska Constitution. State v. Hoehn, 316 Neb. 634 (May 17, … Continue reading

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CA7: No standing in a stolen car; PC anyway for automobile exception

Defendant was driving a stolen car. He had no standing in it. Besides, the search was good under the automobile exception with probable cause. United States v. Ostrum, 2024 U.S. App. LEXIS 10076 (7th Cir. Apr. 25, 2024). The Labor … Continue reading

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D.P.R.: Indictment for possession of switches to convert handguns to machine guns justified vehicle search when defendant was stopped

Defendant was indicted for possession of conversion devices to make handguns machine guns. That justified search of his car when he was stopped. United States v. Berríos-Aquino, 2024 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66657 (D.P.R. Apr. 4, 2024). The DEA subpoena for … Continue reading

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CA11: Def claims he was talking with a VA clinician, but it was a CI; no REP in conversation

Defendant was ultimately accused of theft of government funds and false statements about his VA benefits. A phone call with an informant was recorded. He claims he thought it was a clinician with whom he had a reasonable expectation of … Continue reading

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D.Idaho: Parole search condition justified extending the stop

There was reasonable suspicion for continuing the stop, then probable cause. “Even absent probable cause, the search of Mr. Watson’s car was permissible as a search pursuant to a parole condition.” That alone justified extending the stop. United States v. … Continue reading

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W.D.Wash.: Administrative SDT to Starbucks is reasonable in scope

An administrative subpoena duces tecum to Starbucks is enforced. It is reasonable in scope. Su v. Starbucks Corp., 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 179355 (W.D. Wash. Oct. 4, 2023):

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DC: Facebook can’t assert 1A or 4A privacy of posts under SCA

Facebook and the District of Columbia are litigating a subpoena from the D.C. A.G. over alleged Covid misinformation. There is no expectation of privacy in what is posted on Facebook. “May” divulge in the Store Communications Act is an excuse … Continue reading

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M.D.Fla.: A records preservation request to cell phone providers was not a seizure

A records preservation letter sent to cell phone providers was not a seizure, let alone an unreasonable one. The records were later secured by search warrant. United States v. Zwiefelhofer, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 134679 (M.D. Fla. Aug. 2, 2023). … Continue reading

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PA: Officers knocked before entry and defendant acknowledged their presence

Failure to comply with the knock and announce requirement could result in exclusion under state law. Here, however, the trial court’s findings of fact justified dispensing with the knock-and-announce requirement. Officers heard defendant acknowledge their presence, and then they entered … Continue reading

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