Fourth Amendment (General Requirements) Flashcards
Fourth Amendment
Protects the people and their papers, houses, and effects from unreasonable searches and seizures and requires particularized warrants that are supported by probable cause.
Requirements for Invocation of Fourth Amendment
Include:
- Government Action
- Expectation of Privacy
- Standing
- Substantial Nexus
Government Action
The amendment applies only to the government, not private conduct.
Government Action: Agents
When the actor is an agent of the federal, state, or local government, the Fourth Amendment applies.
Government Action: Directed Acts
When a private party acts at the direction of a government agent or pursuant to an official policy, any search conducted and evidence seized is subject to Fourth Amendment scrutiny.
School Searches (Gov Actors?, Standard?)
Public school officials acting pursuant to an official policy constitutes gov. action. However, public school officials only need reasonable suspicion to conduct a student search.
Standing
A criminal D must have standing to raise a Fourth Amendment claim. If one does not have standing, evidence will not be excluded.
What Is Required for Standing?
The D asserting the Fourth Amendment violation must personally be the victim of the police’s unreasonable conduct (violation cannot be vicariously asserted). An ownership or possessory interest in the premises is sufficient.
Standing of Car Passengers
A passenger in an automobile lacks standing to challenge the validity of a search of the vehicle (mere presence is not enough). However, a car passenger does have standing to challenge a police stop of an automobile (because their person has been seized).
Standing of Guests of Another’s Home
A D who is an overnight guest in another’s home has standing. However, short-term guests, non-overnight social guests and commercial guests have no reasonable expectation of privacy in a host’s home.
Expectation of Privacy
A person must have a legitimate expectation of privacy in the invaded place or else there is no standing.
Substantial Nexus
There must be a fairly substantial nexus between the D and the place searched.
What is a Search Under the Fourth Amendment?
A search is a legal term of art that requires analysis of where and how the government sought to gather evidence. Remember that a search may occur by just touching something.
Katz Test (Reasonable Expectation of Privacy Test)
When the defendant manifests a subjective expectation of privacy by making an effort to shield a thing or activity from the public and society is willing to recognize that expectation as objectively reasonable.
Holding Out to the Public
A D does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in things held out in the public.