Criminal Procedure (MBE) Flashcards
(124 cards)
Fourth Amendment: Search and Seizure
4A protects from unreasonable searches and seizures
Fourth Amendment: Seizure
A seizure occurs when, under the totality of the circumstances, a REASONABLE PERSON would feel that they were NOT FREE to decline the officer’s request or terminate the encounter.
Fourth Amendment: Arrest
An arrest occurs when the police take a person INTO CUSTODY AGAINST THEIR WILL for purposes of prosecution or interrogation.
Fourth Amendment: Arrests - Probable Cause
An arrest MUST be based on PROBABLE CAUSE
Fourth Amendment: Arrests - Warrant
Generally, a warrant IS NOT REQUIRED to make an arrest, UNLESS inside a person’s home.
**Fourth Amendment: Terry Stops + Frisk
Despite NO PROBABLE CAUSE, police can detain person for INVESTIGATORY PURPOSES if REASONABLE SUSPICION of criminal activity supported by ARTICULABLE FACTS.
If the police have a reasonable suspicion the detainee is ARMED AND DANGEROUS, they MAY FRISK the detainee for weapons.
Fourth Amendment: Terry Stops - Reasonable Suspicion Standard
Reasonable suspicion is MORE THAN vague suspicion but LESS THAN probable cause, it depends on the TOTALITY OF CIRCUMSTNACES.
Fourth Amendment: Terry Stops - Duration and Scope
Police must act in a DILIGENT AND REASONABLE manner in confirming or dispelling their suspicions.
Fourth Amendment: Automobile Stops
Police may stop a car if they have REASONABLE SUSPICION that a law has been violated.
Fourth Amendment: Automobile Stops - Police Dogs
A dog sniff IS NOT A SEARCH, but if the dog alerts to the presence of drugs, it can form PROBABLE CAUSE to search.
Fourth Amendment: Automobile Stops - Police Officer Mistake of Law
A police officer’s mistake of law DOES NOT invalidate a seizure as long as the mistake was REASONABLE.
Fourth Amendment: Automobile Stops - Checkpoints
To be valid, the roadblock must: (i) stop cars based on some NEUTRAL, ARTICULABLE STANDARD, and (ii) be designed to serve purposes CLOSELY RELATED TO PROBLEMS PERTAINING TO AUTOMOBILES and their mobility.
Fourth Amendment: Automobile Stops - Pretextual Stops
Police may stop a car violating a traffic law, EVEN IF their ULTERIOR MOTIVE is to investigate a crime for which they lack sufficient cause to make a stop.
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Steps to Analyze S&S Question
1) Is there governmental conduct,
2) Standing (Reasonable Expectation of Privacy)
3) Valid Warrant
4) Exceptions to Warrant Requirement
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Governmental Conduct - Actors
1) Police Officers,
2) Other Government Agents, or
3) Private Individuals acting at the direction of the police.
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Standing (Reasonable Expectation of Privacy)
To hold the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, a person must have a REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY with respect to the PLACE searched or ITEMS seized. This is based on the TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Standing - Situations Where There Is An Automatic Expectation of Privacy
1) Person OWNED or had RIGHT to possess place searched,
2) Place searched is person’s HOME,
3) Person is OVERNIGHT GUEST of owner.
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Things Held Out To The Public
A person DOES NOT have a reasonable expectation of privacy in objects held out to the public, such as the following:
1) Account records held by bank,
2) Anything seen in OPEN FIELDS,
3) Anything seen from flying in PUBLIC AIRSPACE,
4) Garbage SET OUT ON THE CURB for collection.
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Requirements for a Facially Valid Search Warrant
A facially valid search warrant must include: 1) PROBABLE CAUSE, and 2) PARTICULARITY.
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Probable Cause - Use of Informers
An affidavit based on informer’s tip must meet the TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, which should be based on informant’s RELIABILITY and CREDIBILITY.
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Probable Cause - Challenging the Validity of an Affidavit
A search warrant based on an affidavit will be held invalid if the following elements are present: 1) a FALSE STATEMENT was included, 2) the affiant INTENTIONALLY or RECKLESSLY included the false statement, and 3) the false statement was MATERIAL to finding the probable cause.
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Warrant - Particularity
Warrant must describe with particularity the PLACE to be searched and ITEMS to be seized.
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Warrant - Anticipatory Warrant
A warrant can PREDICT when illegal items may be in a suspect’s home or office.
Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure: Warrant - Execution of Warrant + Third Parties + Violation of Knock and Announce Rule Consequences
Only the police may execute a warrant, and it must be done WITHOUT REASONABLE DELAY.
The police MAY NOT be accompanied by third parties UNLESS they’re present to identify stolen property.
A violation of the knock and announce rule WILL NOT result in the suppression of evidence.