Crim Pro Flashcards
4th Amendment
right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures of person and property by the government and agents
4th Amendment Standing
Standing: No standing to assert 4th violation unless D has been seized or had reasonable expectation of privacy with regard to the place searched or the item seized
Seizure occurs when
occurs when officer, by physical force or show of authority, intentionally restrains a person’s freedom of movement
Types: Terry stops, traffic stops, arrests
Test for whether seizure occurred
Whether a RP would feel free to decline request and terminate encounter
Lawful investigatory detention/Terry stops:
lawful when officer has reasonable suspicion, based on articulable facts, to believe that D has/will engage in crime.
Questioning during investigatory detention/Terry stops:
Police may question for a limited period of time. No need for Miranda.
Lawful traffic stop
lawful when officer has reasonable suspicion to stop a car © Checkpoint
Lawful arrest
Lawful when there is a probable cause to believe that the person has committed a crime
Pretext arrest:
as long as probable cause exists, it is irrelevant whether officer stopped the person for other crimes
Validity of arrest warrant
valid if (a) issued by a neutral magistrate;
(b) based on probable cause to believe that the person has committed a particular crime; and
(c) identifies the person and the offense
Can police enter home without an arrest warrant
Without warrant, cannot enter home unless (1) exigent circ’s or (2) consent
Exigent: reasonable belief of danger to the officer or destruction of the evidence. ©© protective sweep, etc.
Warrantless arrest:
Officer can arrest in a public place for
(1) crimes committed in officer’s presence or
(2) if outside the presence, has probable cause to believe person committed a felony.
© cannot arrest for misdemeanor committed outside presence
Search occurs when
occurs when gov conduct violates a reasonable expectation of privacy.
e.g. Homes, hotel room, office, luggage, backyard (curtilage) © open fields, trash cans, abandoned property, streets
Reasonable expectation of privacy for information visually obtained while flying over the residence
No reasonable expectation of privacy. Does not violate privacy
Reasonable expectation of privacy for information obtained by a device
Use of a device/sensing tech that is (a) not available to the general public and (b) capable of detecting lawful activity = violate privacy
Search warrant is valid when
is valid if:
(a) issued by a neutral magistrate
(b) based on probable cause that the item is fruit, instrumentality, or evidence of crime; and
(c) describe with particularity the place and item
Search warrant search can still violate 4th if
- warrant is based on an anonymous tip
- scope exceeded (warrant authorized search for a limited purpose).
Warrantless search exceptions
ESCAPES
Warrantless search exception: Exigent circumstances
“Hot pursuit” of fleeing felon, immediate danger to safety, or destruction of evidence. E.g. Blood sample
© protective sweep
Search incident to lawful arrest:
A lawful arrest permits a contemporaneous search of person and immediate surroundings within reasonable scope. © Cell phone content
Search incident to lawful arrest: scope of search on the streets
person and his wingspan
Search incident to lawful arrest: scope of search at home
person and immediate surrounding area
Search incident to lawful arrest: car passenger compartment
may search car passenger compartment if
(1) arrestee has access at the time of arrest and poses risk to safety or tampering evidence; OR
(2) if it is reasonable that evidence of the offense of the arrest might be found
Warrantless search exception: consent
Must be voluntary,
Officer can obtain consent through deception ©False assertion of warrant
© cannot exceed scope.