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
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
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
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
Paws on the Windowsill: When Does a K9 Sniff Become a Fourth Amendment Search? Continue Reading
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
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
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
A Search Too Far: Pocket & Wallet Searches Raise Two Fourth Amendment Issues Continue Reading
In United States v. Thorne, No. 23-3054 (D.C. Cir. 2026), the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit highlighted Fourth Amendment considerations that arise when officers use GPS-ping data and cell-site simulator technology to locate a wanted suspect, as well as the application of the good-faith exception when officers reasonably rely on a warrant in good faith. This case involved two different types
In a recent case from the Fourth Circuit, the Court examined United States v. Lowers, a case that highlights privacy in the digital age and reiterates that individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy in files they store in their private cloud accounts. Summary of the Facts In September 2019, 156 files were uploaded to the user “harvardeperstein@gmail.com’s” Google Drive account. Once uploaded, Google began
Hash Hits, Human Eyes, and the Limits of Private Search in United States v. Lowers Continue Reading
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently issued a decision in United States v. Rowell, holding that a missing minor’s recent digital footprint, combined with evidence that the child may be endangered, may justify warrantless entry under the emergency-aid doctrine. Summary of the Facts On January 18, 2021, a father reported to the Belmont Police Department that his teenage daughter was missing and endangered. On January 21, the investigating officers gathered digital evidence