Statute
Fourth Amendment
736 published works
Koehler Law Blog
On the “plain feel” doctrine in Ford v. U.S.
Absent a valid exception, “searches and seizures” without a warrant are presumptively unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment. As one exception to the warrant requirement, the “plain view” doctrine allows police…
Kirakosian Law Blog
What Does a Civil Rights Lawyer Do? Understanding Their Role in Protecting Your Rights
Table of Contents Toggle Defining the Role of a Civil Rights LawyerTypes of Violations They HandleThe Process: From Investigation to RepresentationWhy Expertise in Civil Rights Law MattersProtecting Your Rights in…
Kirakosian Law Blog
Unlawful Vehicle Search in California: Fighting Illegal Search and Seizure After a Traffic Stop
If you’ve been pulled over and your vehicle searched without a warrant or your consent, you may be wondering whether your rights were violated. In California, as in the rest…
Kirakosian Law Blog
What Constitutes Excessive Force During a Traffic Stop?
Traffic stops are one of the most frequent encounters between civilians and the police. Some of these encounters are mundane; some end in force. But when does force cross the line to…
On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog
Iowa Supreme Court approves warrantless search of fanny pack after it was removed by suspect
By Rox Laird
A police officer legally searched a fanny pack after a suspect had removed it and handed it to a companion, the Iowa Supreme Court held in a June 20 decision,…
On Brief: Iowa's Appellate Blog
December 2024 Opinion Roundup
By Emma Sillman
The Iowa Supreme Court entered opinions in ten cases in December 2024. At the links immediately below, you can read Rox Laird’s analysis of the following opinions: State of Iowa…
Nahmod Law
Supreme Court Adopts “Totality of Circumstances” Approach in 4th Amendment Excessive Force Cases: Barnes v. Felix
[You may have noticed that it’s been a while since my last post. That’s because I’ve been working on the 2025-26 Update to my Treatise, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties…
Stritmatter Law Blog
Police Misconduct: The Constitutional Right to Be Free from Excessive Force
Over the past decade, the American public has become increasingly aware of police misconduct and the use of excessive force against civilians. Here in Seattle, many high-profile incidents and independent…
Legal Theory Blog
Download of the Week: “Unwarranted Warrants?” by de Figueiredo, Hashimoto, & Thorley
The Download of the Week is Unwarranted Warrants? An Empirical Analysis of Judicial Review in Search and Seizure by Miguel F.P. de Figueiredo, Brett Hashimoto, & Dane Thorley. Here is…
Legal Theory Blog
de Figueiredo, Hashimoto, & Thorley on Utah’s e-Warrant System
Miguel F.P. de Figueiredo, Brett Hashimoto, & Dane Thorley have posted Unwarranted Warrants? An Empirical Analysis of Judicial Review in Search and Seizure on the Harvard Law Review website. Here…