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Refused Care, Reasonable Restraint: Eleventh Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Marbut v. Phillips

In Marbut v. Phillips, 176 F.4th 1256 (11th Cir. 2026), the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed qualified immunity for officers who detained and restrained a woman following a suspected GHB overdose. The Eleventh Circuit found that officers had an objectively reasonable basis to seize her under the emergency-aid doctrine, applying the Supreme Court’s decision in Case v. Montana, 607

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Prolonged Standoff & Probable Cause: Seventh Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity in Jackson v. City of Madison

Jackson v. City of Madison, No. 24-2104, 2026 WL 1492153 (7th Cir. May 28, 2026) The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently decided Jackson v. City of Madison, addressing a warrantless in-home arrest following reports of gunfire that led to an hours-long standoff with a suspect believed to be armed and dangerous. The Court ultimately held that the officers had

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Standoff, Shots, Shielded: Seventh Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Davis v. City of Elgin, Illinois, No. 25-1299 (7th Cir. 2026)

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently issued an opinion in Davis v. City of Elgin, Illinois, addressing whether officers were entitled to qualified immunity for using less-lethal force during a volatile standoff. Summary of the Facts In 2018, Elgin police received a phone call from a woman reporting that Mace Davis was under the influence of alcohol and had

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Flight, Factors, and the Fourth Amendment: Supreme Court Finds Reasonable Suspicion in District of Columbia v. R.W., 608 U.S. ___ (2026)

District of Columbia v. R.W., 608 U.S. ___ (2026) TOPIC: Fourth Amendment / Investigatory Stop / Reasonable Suspicion. In District of Columbia v. R.W., 608 U.S. ___ (2026), the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed that when courts are tasked with assessing whether a police officer had reasonable suspicion, the court must consider the totality of the circumstances, which precludes evaluating and rejecting

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Tips, Trackers, and Truths Omitted: Seventh Circuit Considers United States v. Felton

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently examined United States v. Felton, 159 F.4th 1128 (7th Cir. 2025), addressing whether an affidavit established probable cause for a GPS tracking warrant when the affidavit relied heavily on a confidential informant’s tip and omitted key information about the informant’s credibility. Summary of the Facts In May 2019, a confidential informant informed law

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Paws on the Windowsill: When Does a K9 Sniff Become a Fourth Amendment Search?

The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently examined United States v. Fellmy, a case that highlights how a canine’s brief, instinctive behavior during a lawful exterior sniff is not a Fourth Amendment violation without officer encouragement or facilitation. Summary of the Facts In Mercer County, Kentucky, Deputy Michael Raisor received an anonymous tip that Steven Fellmy was trafficking drugs in a

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Beneath the Seat, Beyond a Hunch: Protective Vehicle Searches in United States v. Erving

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently released an opinion in United States v. Erving, a case that highlights the circumstances under which a protective vehicle search is permissible under the Fourth Amendment. The court examined whether the officer had reasonable suspicion that Erving was dangerous and could gain immediate control of a weapon. Summary of the Facts In September

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Handcuffs, Harm, High-Risk Stops – Fifth Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity in Lewis v. Delgado

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently issued an opinion in Lewis v. Delgado, 163 F.4th 926 (5th Cir. 2026), a case that considers when officers are entitled to qualified immunity for briefly handcuffing a person with a medical condition during a high-risk stop. The Fifth Circuit held that, even if the officers knew about Lewis’s condition beforehand, their actions

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Hatchet Held Low, Harm Not Imminent: Deadly Force and Qualified Immunity in Byers v. Painter

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recently decided Byers v. Painter, 173 F.4th 155 (4th Cir. 2026), a case examining the limits of qualified immunity when an officer uses deadly force against an armed but nonthreatening suspect who is fleeing. The court held that, at the time of the encounter, clearly established law prohibited the use of deadly force against

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A Search Too Far: Pocket & Wallet Searches Raise Two Fourth Amendment Issues

The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit recently issued an opinion in Montgomery v. Cruz, a case that highlights the limits on searches conducted during an investigative detention. This case arose after a police officer searched a suspect’s pockets and wallet, triggering two overarching legal issues for the court to consider. For the search of the pockets, the court considered whether

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