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Legal Updates
Recent court decisions that affect law enforcement, explained by Daigle Law Group attorneys. Every update has a PDF to download.
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Fourth AmendmentRefused Care, Reasonable Restraint: Eleventh Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Marbut v. PhillipsIn 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 o…Read the update →Fourth AmendmentProlonged Standoff & Probable Cause: Seventh Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity in Jackson v. City of MadisonThe 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 suspe…Use of ForceStandoff, 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 durin…Fourth AmendmentFlight, Factors, and the Fourth Amendment: Supreme Court Finds Reasonable Suspicion in District of Columbia v. R.W., 608 U.S. ___ (2026)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…Fourth AmendmentTips, Trackers, and Truths Omitted: Seventh Circuit Considers United States v. FeltonThe 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…Fourth AmendmentPaws 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 Amendme…Fourth AmendmentBeneath the Seat, Beyond a Hunch: Protective Vehicle Searches in United States v. ErvingThe 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 th…Handcuffs, Harm, High-Risk Stops – Fifth Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity in Lewis v. DelgadoThe 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 h…Fourth AmendmentHatchet Held Low, Harm Not Imminent: Deadly Force and Qualified Immunity in Byers v. PainterThe 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 a…Fourth AmendmentA Search Too Far: Pocket & Wallet Searches Raise Two Fourth Amendment IssuesThe 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…Fourth AmendmentA Ping Too Far? Cell-Site Tracking and Territorial Warrants in United States v. ThorneIn 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 simul…Fourth AmendmentHash Hits, Human Eyes, and the Limits of Private Search in United States v. LowersIn 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 th…Cuffs, Cursing, and Contested Compliance: Excessive-Force and Disputed Resistance in Franke v. JanesThis case arose from an officer’s use of a half-nelson and wrist torque technique while escorting a handcuffed man to a police vehicle, where inconclusive body-camera footage left unresolved whether the man was actively…