Citation470 U.S. 811, 105 S. Ct. 1643, 84 L. Ed. 2d 705 (1985) Brief Fact Summary. The police brought a suspect to the station and took his fingerprints without having probable cause until after his fingerprints were taken. Synopsis of Rule of Law. An individual cannot be brought to a police station and fingerprinted without probable cause and a warrant. ...
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Minnesota v. Dickerson
Citation508 U.S. 366, 113 S. Ct. 2130, 124 L. Ed. 2d 334 (1993) Brief Fact Summary. A police officer patted down a suspect and discovered a small amount of crack cocaine in his jacket. Synopsis of Rule of Law. “If a police officer lawfully pats down a suspect’s outer clothing and feels an object whose contour or mass makes its identity immediately apparent, there has been no invasion of the suspect’s privacy beyond that already authorized by the officer’s search for weapons; if the object is contraband, its warrantless seizure would be justified by the same practic ...
Illinois v. Wardlow
Citation528 U.S. 119, 120 S. Ct. 673, 145 L. Ed. 2d 570 (2000) Brief Fact Summary. An individual was arrested after fleeing from police officers in a known narcotics trafficking area. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The arresting officer “was justified in suspecting that [the suspect] was involved in criminal activity, and, therefore in investigating further.” ...
Terry v. Ohio
Citation392 U.S. 1, 88 S. Ct. 1868, 20 L. Ed. 2d 889 (1968) Brief Fact Summary. The Petitioner, John W. Terry (the “Petitioner”), was stopped and searched by an officer after the officer observed the Petitioner seemingly casing a store for a potential robbery. The officer approached the Petitioner for questioning and decided to search him first. Synopsis of Rule of Law. An officer may perform a search for weapons without a warrant, even without probable cause, when the officer reasonably believes that the person may be armed and dangerous. ...
Mapp v. Ohio
Citation67 U.S. 643 Brief Fact Summary. Police officers sought a bombing suspect and evidence of the bombing at the petitioner, Miss Mapp’s (the “petitioner”) house. After failing to gain entry on an initial visit, the officers returned with what purported to be a search warrant, forcibly entered the residence, and conducted a search in which obscene materials were discovered. The petitioner was tried and convicted for these materials. Synopsis of Rule of Law. All evidence discovered as a result of a search and seizure conducted in violation of the Fourth Amendment of th ...
New Jersey v. TLO
Citation469 U.S. 325, 105 S. Ct. 733, 83 L. Ed. 2d 720 (1985) Brief Fact Summary. The vice-principal of a school searched a students bag and found evidence that she was dealing marijuana. Synopsis of Rule of Law. “[S]chool officials need not obtain a warrant before searching a student who is under their authority.” ...
Florida v. Bostick
CitationFlorida v. Bostick, 111 S. Ct. 241, 1990 U.S. LEXIS 5131, 498 U.S. 894, 112 L. Ed. 2d 201, 59 U.S.L.W. 3275 (U.S. Oct. 9, 1990) Brief Fact Summary. Police officers, without an articulable suspicion, approached an individual on a bus and asked him questions and to search his luggage. Synopsis of Rule of Law. “[N]o seizure occurs when police ask questions of an individual, ask to examine the individual’s identification, and request consent to search his or her luggage – so long as the officers do not convey a message that compliance with their requests is required.& ...
Warden, Md. Penitentiary v. Hayden
CitationWarden, Maryland Penitentiary v. Hayden, 387 U.S. 294, 87 S. Ct. 1642, 18 L. Ed. 2d 782, 1967 U.S. LEXIS 2753 (U.S. May 29, 1967) Brief Fact Summary. Defendant was pursued to his home, and arrested. Evidence used against him was found during a search that was unwarranted. Synopsis of Rule of Law. “‘The exigencies of the situation,’ in which the officers were in pursuit of a suspected armed felon in the house which he had entered only minutes before they arrived, permitted their warrantless entry and search” and “the distinction prohibiting seizure of ...
Adamson v. California
CitationAdamson v. California, 332 U.S. 46, 67 S. Ct. 1672, 91 L. Ed. 1903, 1947 U.S. LEXIS 2876, 171 A.L.R. 1223 (U.S. June 23, 1947) Brief Fact Summary. Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder in California state court after his refusal to take the stand and testify was commented on by opposing trial counsel. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination is not a part of the right to a fair trial protected by the Due Process clause of Fourteenth Amendment. ...
Burks v. United States
CitationBurks v. United States, 437 U.S. 1, 98 S. Ct. 2141, 57 L. Ed. 2d 1, 1978 U.S. LEXIS 3 (U.S. June 14, 1978) Brief Fact Summary. Defendant was convicted for robbery had his conviction reverse for insufficient evidence and remanded. Synopsis of Rule of Law. “The Double Jeopardy Clause precludes a second trial once the reviewing court has found the evidence legally insufficient.” ...
United States v. Salerno
CitationUnited States v. Salerno, 481 U.S. 739, 107 S. Ct. 2095, 95 L. Ed. 2d 697, 1987 U.S. LEXIS 2259, 55 U.S.L.W. 4663 (U.S. May 26, 1987) Brief Fact Summary. Respondent, Salerno, in connection with his ties to la cosa nostra, was arrested on charges of various RICO violations. This action arose when he challenged the fact that he was detained without bail. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Detention, which is regulatory, in order to keep a criminal from flight, is not impermissible pre-trial punishment. ...
Brewer v. Williams (Williams I)
CitationBrewer v. Williams, 430 U.S. 387, 97 S. Ct. 1232, 51 L. Ed. 2d 424, 1977 U.S. LEXIS 64 (U.S. Mar. 23, 1977) Brief Fact Summary. The defendant, Robert Williams (the “defendant”), after being arraigned on charges of abducting a 10-year old girl, was traveling with an officer between Davenport and Des Moines, Iowa. Although the defendant’s lawyers instructed that no questioning should take place outside their presence, the defendant was convinced by the officer to give directions to the body of the girl. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Once judicial proceedings begin, the ...
Rhode Island v. Innis
CitationRhode Island v. Innis, 1979 U.S. LEXIS 996, 440 U.S. 934, 99 S. Ct. 1277, 59 L. Ed. 2d 492 (U.S. Feb. 26, 1979) Brief Fact Summary. The respondent, Thomas Innis (the “respondent”), was arrested, read his Miranda rights, and put into the backseat of a patrol car. The police discussed that the gun used for the crime might be found by a child, and the respondent disclosed the location of the weapon to avoid an accident. Synopsis of Rule of Law. An interrogation, for Fifth Amendment constitutional purposes, should be defined to include only words or conduct that the police ...
United States v. Hubbell
CitationUnited States v. Hubbell, 530 U.S. 27, 120 S. Ct. 2037, 147 L. Ed. 2d 24, 2000 U.S. LEXIS 3768, 68 U.S.L.W. 4449, 2000-1 U.S. Tax Cas. (CCH) P50,499, 2000 Cal. Daily Op. Service 4354, 2000 Daily Journal DAR 5845, 2000 Colo. J. C.A.R. 3116, 13 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 382 (U.S. June 5, 2000) Brief Fact Summary. The defendant, Webster Hubbell (the “defendant”), asserted his privilege against self incrimination when he was subpoenaed to produce documents. The government granted him immunity but then proceeded to use the documents to obtain an indictment against him from the Gr ...
McKune v. Lile
CitationMcKune v. Lile, 536 U.S. 24, 122 S. Ct. 2017, 153 L. Ed. 2d 47, 2002 U.S. LEXIS 4206, 70 U.S.L.W. 4502, 2002 Cal. Daily Op. Service 5037, 15 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 333 (U.S. June 10, 2002) Brief Fact Summary. Kansas had a rehabilitation program for sex offenders that made use of incentives to participate in the program. Synopsis of Rule of Law. “A prison clinical rehabilitation program, which is acknowledged to bear a rational relation to legitimate penological objective, does not violate the privilege against self incrimination if the adverse consequences an inmate faces for no ...
Mapp v. Ohio
Citation67 U.S. 635 Brief Fact Summary. Police officers sought a bombing suspect and evidence of the bombing at the petitioner, Miss Mapp’s (the “petitioner”) house. After failing to gain entry on an initial visit, the officers returned with what purported to be a search warrant, forcibly entered the residence, and conducted a search in which obscene materials were discovered. The petitioner was tried and convicted for these materials. Synopsis of Rule of Law. All evidence discovered as a result of a search and seizure conducted in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Un ...
Illinois v. McArthur
Citation531 U.S. 326, 121 S. Ct. 946, 148 L. Ed. 2d 838 (2001) Brief Fact Summary. Police kept a man suspected of keeping drugs in his house for two hours while waiting for a warrant. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Police officers, operating with probable cause that the domicile contained incriminating evidence, under the reasonable belief that the evidence would be destroyed, who make efforts to “reconcile their law enforcement needs with the demands of personal privacy” and placed a restraint for a limited period of time, are compliant with the Fourth Amendment. ...
United States v. Arvizu
CitationUnited States v. Arvizu, 534 U.S. 266, 122 S. Ct. 744, 151 L. Ed. 2d 740, 2002 U.S. LEXIS 490, 70 U.S.L.W. 4076, 2002 Cal. Daily Op. Service 380, 2002 Daily Journal DAR 499, 15 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 81 (U.S. Jan. 15, 2002) Brief Fact Summary. After tripping magnetic sensors on a common smuggling route with his mini-van, respondent was observed and eventually stopped by a border agent. A search of the van revealed 100 pounds of marijuana. Synopsis of Rule of Law. “When discussing how reviewing courts should make reasonable-suspicion determinations, we have said repeatedly that ...
United States v. Knights
CitationUnited States v. Knights, 534 U.S. 112, 122 S. Ct. 587, 151 L. Ed. 2d 497, 2001 U.S. LEXIS 10950, 70 U.S.L.W. 4029, 2001 Cal. Daily Op. Service 10246, 2001 Daily Journal DAR 12759, 15 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 27 (U.S. Dec. 10, 2001) Brief Fact Summary. Respondent was living under specific probationary restraints that permitted a search of his person with or without warrant by law officers. Respondent became a suspect in a vandalism spree. After observation by a detective, respondent was searched and arrested. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The balance of protecting citizens and observing pr ...
Terry v. Ohio
CitationTerry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1, 88 S. Ct. 1868, 20 L. Ed. 2d 889, 1968 U.S. LEXIS 1345, 44 Ohio Op. 2d 383 (U.S. June 10, 1968) Brief Fact Summary. The Petitioner, John W. Terry (the “Petitioner”), was stopped and searched by an officer after the officer observed the Petitioner seemingly casing a store for a potential robbery. The officer approached the Petitioner for questioning and decided to search him first. Synopsis of Rule of Law. An officer may perform a search for weapons without a warrant, even without probable cause, when the officer reasonably believes that the p ...
Warden, Md. Penitentiary v. Hayden
CitationWarden, Maryland Penitentiary v. Hayden, 387 U.S. 294, 87 S. Ct. 1642, 18 L. Ed. 2d 782, 1967 U.S. LEXIS 2753 (U.S. May 29, 1967) Brief Fact Summary. Defendant was pursued to his home, and arrested. Evidence used against him was found during a search that was unwarranted. Synopsis of Rule of Law. “‘The exigencies of the situation,’ in which the officers were in pursuit of a suspected armed felon in the house which he had entered only minutes before they arrived, permitted their warrantless entry and search” and “the distinction prohibiting seizure of ...
Johnson v. U.S
CitationJohnson v. United States, 333 U.S. 10, 68 S. Ct. 367, 92 L. Ed. 436, 1948 U.S. LEXIS 2583 (U.S. Feb. 2, 1948) Brief Fact Summary. Based on a tip from a confidential informant that the smell of opium was emanating from the defendant’s hotel room, a Seattle narcotics detective and a group of federal agents entered without a warrant and proceeded to search the room. Synopsis of Rule of Law. “When the right of privacy [protected by the Fourth Amendment] must reasonably yield to the right of search is, as a rule, to be decided by a judicial officer, not by a policeman or Gover ...
Teague v. Lane
CitationTeague v. Lane, 489 U.S. 288, 109 S. Ct. 1060, 103 L. Ed. 2d 334, 1989 U.S. LEXIS 1043, 57 U.S.L.W. 4233 (U.S. Feb. 22, 1989) Brief Fact Summary. The petitioner, Teague (the “petitioner”) was convicted in an Illinois state court of attempted murder and other offenses. The prosecutor used all ten of his peremptory challenges to exclude blacks from the jury. The petitioner twice unsuccessfully moved for a mistrial arguing that he was entitled to a jury of his peers. Synopsis of Rule of Law. An individual may not seek to enforce a new rule of law in federal habeas corp ...
Williams v. Taylor
CitationWilliams v. New York, 337 U.S. 241, 69 S. Ct. 1079, 93 L. Ed. 1337, 1949 U.S. LEXIS 2308 (U.S. June 6, 1949) Brief Fact Summary. Terry Williams (“Mr. Willliams”) was convicted of capital murder and received a death sentence for robbery and murder in Virginia in 1985. On appeal, Mr. Williams claimed ineffective assistance of counsel because his attorney failed to introduce certain mitigating evidence during the sentencing portion of his trial. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A federal habeas writ may issue only when the state court decision was contrary to or involved an unrea ...