Supreme Court: Wrongful Detention Even After Court Appearance Violates the Fourth Amendment
The beginning of court proceedings doesn't eliminate the Fourth Amendment from the picture.
Attorney General Reignites War on Drugs, Orders Prosecutors to Seek Stiffer Penalties
U.S. AG Jeff Sessions ordered prosecutors to go for the most serious charges available.
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects the Provocation Rule in Excessive Force Lawsuits
The case involved officers who entered a home without a warrant, perceived a threat, and opened fire.
U.S. Supreme Court: No Sixth Amendment Right to Speedy Sentencing
The high court held that the Speedy Trial Clause doesn’t apply to delayed sentencing.
Supreme Court: Rule Nearly Banning Life Without Parole for Juveniles Applies Retroactively
A 2012 decision outlawing mandatory life-without-parole sentences for juvenile offenders applies to cases decided before then.
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Capital Punishment System Allowing Judge Rather Than Jury to Impose Death
The Court held that, by allowing a judge to make findings that result in the death penalty, Florida's system violated the Sixth Amendment.
SCOTUS clarified that, in order for the gun ban to apply, a misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence doesn't have to involve
SCOTUS Decides Police Need Warrants for DUI Blood Tests
The Court also determined that it can't be a crime to refuse a blood test after a DUI arrest.
Can't Prosecute Then Judge, Says U.S. Supreme Court
A judge who has had significant, personal involvement in the case as a prosecutor has to be recused.
Critics argue the "attenuation doctrine" decision will mean lots more detentions for people doing nothing wrong.
States Vote in Favor of the Death Penalty
California, Nebraska, and Oklahoma had capital punishment measures on their ballots.
Department of Justice Policy Requires Warrants for Most “Stingray” Searches
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced a policy for the use of cell-site simulators (commonly called “stingrays”).
Connecticut's Death Penalty Fades Away
At the point that Connecticut abolished the death penalty in 2012, 11 people in that state were on death row.
Correction to The Criminal Law Handbook (14th ed.) on Resisting Arrest
The 14th Edition of The Criminal Law Handbook: Know Your Rights, Survive the System states the following on page 88:
Police Officers Can't Search Hotel Records Whenever They Want
The U.S. Supreme Court held that hotel operators are entitled to some kind of independent review before opening their registries.
Supreme Court Limits the Right to Confront Witnesses
The majority found that a child-abuse victim's hearsay didn't violate the Confrontation Clause.
Supreme Court: Federal Threat Statute Requires More Than Negligence
The high court rejected the "reasonable person" standard.
Supreme Court Gives Felons More Say Over What Happens to Their Guns
Federal law doesn't stop felons from selling or transferring firearms they lawfully owned.
Supreme Court Says No to Dog Sniffs That Unnecessarily Prolong Traffic Stops
In a typical scenario, a police officer can't conduct a dog sniff after completing the ticket-issuing process.
Supreme Court: Forcing Someone to Wear a Tracking Device is a "Search"
In the spring of 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court decided another case about tracking technology and the Fourth Amendment.
Supreme Court Allows for Detentions Based on Legal Misunderstanding
The Court decided that an officer's reasonable misunderstanding can justify your detention.
California Supreme Court: Arrestees' Pre-Miranda Silence Can Be Used Against Them
The state high court held that arrestees have to clearly invoke the privilege against self-incrimination.
Supreme Court: Police Officers Can't Search Cellphones Without Warrants
SCOTUS answered a big question about the relationship between the Fourth Amendment and digital privacy.
Supreme Court Upholds Law Banning Straw Purchases of Guns
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a law prohibiting people from buying guns on behalf of others from federally licensed dealers.
Supreme Court: "Local" Crime Is for the States to Punish
The U.S. Supreme Court has reinforced the principle that states, rather than the federal government, should be left to prosecute local crime.
Supreme Court Revisits Execution of the Intellectually Disabled
States can't rely exclusively on IQ in borderline cases involving the death penalty.
New Supreme Court Ruling Says Police Can Use More Force to Stop High-Speed Chases
Officers can use deadly force to stop life-endangering car chases, and can use it until the danger ends.
Supreme Court Clarifies the Meaning of Double Jeopardy
If the prosecution decides to boycott a trial, the acquittal will stand.
Supreme Court Says Anonymous Tips Can Justify Traffic Stops
According to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, an anonymous report of potentially careless driving will often justify a traffic stop.
Supreme Court Limits the Right to Keep Police out of the Home
If just one occupant of a home consents, the police may search a home that additional people live in.