Category Archives: Reasonableness

NY: Second SW for phone a year later after first SW failed to show PC wasn’t timely

The first cell phone search warrant was rejected for lack of probable cause. It only provided a generic description of cell phones as repositories of potential evidence without linking it to this case. The phone was still in the evidence … Continue reading

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S.D.Ga.: Review of PC for a SW is not de novo

Review of whether there is probable cause for a warrant is not de novo; it’s whether there is a substantial basis for finding probable cause, and there’s that here. United States v. Jones, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 81177 (S.D. Ga. … Continue reading

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NE: Officer’s own sniff of unmarked bag on train was reasonable

Officer’s sniff of an unmarked bag on a train was not unreasonable. He was trained on the smell, and it interfered with no known person’s rights at the time. State v. Vaughn, 314 Neb. 167 (May 5, 2023). The officer … Continue reading

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N.D.Tex.: Arrest on NCIC warrant from Michigan reasonable despite it not labeled extraditable

Defendant’s arrest in Texas on a Michigan warrant shown on NCIC was reasonable under the Fourth Amendment despite the claim that it was not flagged for out-of-state extradition. Six months earlier, he was arrested and released before getting to jail … Continue reading

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D.V.I.: No REP against a flyover of a MJ grow

There was no objective reasonable expectation of privacy in a flyover of a marijuana grow operation. A warrant to flyover and photograph was not required. United States v. Soogrim, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 75183 (D.V.I. May 1, 2023). The court … Continue reading

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CA11: Roadside dog sniff during the records check was reasonable and did not extend the stop

A roadside dog sniff during the records check was reasonable even without reasonable suspicion and did not extend the stop. United States v. Ramirez-Rivera, 2023 U.S. App. LEXIS 10325 (11th Cir. Apr. 27, 2023). On collective knowledge: “As the surveillance … Continue reading

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IL4: Despite legalization of possession of small amounts of MJ, dog alert still PC

The drug dog’s “positive alert on the vehicle in this case established a fair probability that drugs or evidence of a crime would be found in the vehicle. This is true despite recent changes in the law regarding the legalization … Continue reading

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OH12: Fact LEO broke traffic laws to catch speeder isn’t a 4A reasonableness defense

The fact a police officer arguably broke traffic laws to effect a stop of a fleeing motorist isn’t a defense to a traffic stop under the Fourth Amendment or the state constitution. State v. Johnson, 2023-Ohio-1320, 2023 Ohio App. LEXIS … Continue reading

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NC: Arrest warrant for def permitted entry into house when he retreated inside; protective sweep valid

Officers had an arrest warrant for defendant for a violent crime, and he was found at home. They saw him outside, and he retreated inside. The SRT showed up too. The entry for the arrest was valid, as was the … Continue reading

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C.D.Cal.: Mere seizure of a firearm not per se a 2A violation

“‘The mere occurrence of a firearm seizure during a traffic stop, however, is not enough to establish a Second Amendment violation. Police seize and confiscate firearms routinely, and this Court will not presume that each and every one of those … Continue reading

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NY Nassau: Questions in ER about drug and alcohol use not “pedigree questions”

Questions at the hospital about drug or alcohol use are not “pedigree questions” because they go to the heart of the investigation. People v. Jeffcoat, 2023 NY Slip Op 50306(U), 2023 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1549 (Nassau Co. Apr. 7, 2023).* … Continue reading

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CA11: Mental health seizures require objective reasonableness of danger

Mental health seizures under Florida’s Baker Act comply with the Fourth Amendment when it’s objectively reasonable to believe that the person is a danger to himself or others. Here the officers had that from defendant’s threats to shoot people. United … Continue reading

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SC: DL checkpoint was reasonable

Murder case: A highway checkpoint with four officers to check DLs, registration, and insurance was valid under Prouse, Sitz, and Edmund. No suggestion it was for general crime control. State v. Jones, 2023 S.C. LEXIS 61 (Mar. 29, 2023). Defendant … Continue reading

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W.D.N.C.: Traffic stop for expired tags went right to criminal history and was overlong

The court adopts the R&R and finds that the traffic stop was initially justified, but the officer got way off track from it into investigating other things without reasonable suspicion. Instead, the officer was investigating defendant’s criminal history for 46 … Continue reading

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ID rejects “reasonable mistake of law” and Heien under state constitution; state’s exclusionary rule is broader

Idaho declines to adopt the “reasonable mistake of law” rule and suppresses a search incident to a warrantless arrest for a completed misdemeanor. The state’s exclusionary rule isn’t just to deter illegal police misconduct – it is considerably more, and … Continue reading

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CA10: Five seconds is de minimus under Rodriguez

In a short per curiam, the Tenth Circuit upholds a dog sniff under Rodriguez without explanation. The concurrence, however, tells us that the stop was extended five seconds past the “Rodriguez moment” as still reasonable. United States v. Hayes, 2023 … Continue reading

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CA9: Two questions about weapons in car was for officer safety and not unreasonable

Twice asking defendant during a traffic stop about weapons was not minimally burdensome and not unreasonable when defendant had prior for weapons. United States v. Taylor, 2023 U.S. App. LEXIS 4954 (9th Cir. Mar. 1, 2023):

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WI: REP in apt building’s storage room def shared with another that she put the lock on

Defendant had a reasonable expectation of privacy in an apartment’s basement storage room that was shared with another but which defendant put a padlock on. State v. Eder, 2023 Wisc. App. LEXIS 207 (Feb. 28, 2023). There was probable cause … Continue reading

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CA10: No fixed time to write the ticket under Rodriguez

The traffic stop was justified, and the district court was correct in holding what happened during the ticket writing phase didn’t deviate from the primary mission of the stop. There’s no fixed rule on the amount of time it could … 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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