A 2023 attempted murder conviction was reversed on appeal and sent back to trial court after the defendant showed the prosecutor used racially biased and racially coded language in the case. The RJA took effect in 2021 with the intent of ensuring…
The use of “biometrics” such as fingerprints to force the opening of private devices can raise multiple Constitutional arguments, reminding detectives to be precise in search warrant requests to assure admissibility of evidence seized after a…
Unanimous California High Court decision says police officers cannot detain someone simply because that person tries to avoid interacting with them, noting that many people of color perceive that engaging with police at all, even in innocuous ways,…
This issue is related to another just-published article exploring Fourth Amendment Waiver searches. Diverting from the “mission of the traffic stop” to investigate other, unrelated potential criminal violations may convert an otherwise lawful…
A 2023 appellate case from Sacramento illustrates problems when an officer prolongs a detention during a traffic stop by asking about other possible criminal activity first, before discovering a subject’s Fourth Amendment probation waiver and…
