Vol. 29 No. 14 – SECRET SERVICE AGENTS ENTITLED TO QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FOR RELOCATING PROTESTERS GREATER DISTANCE FROM PRESIDENT THAN SUPPORTERS AFTER UNPLANNED STOP OF MOTORCADE CREATED SECURITY RISK

SECRET SERVICE AGENTS ARE ENTITLED TO QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FOR RELOCATING PROTESTERS A GREATER DISTANCE FROM THE PRESIDENT THAN SUPPORTERS AFTER UNPLANNED STOP OF MOTORCADE CREATED SECURITY RISK ONLY FROM PROTESTERS. On May 27, 2014, the United States Supreme Court held, in the case of Wood v. Moss, that Secret Service agents were entitled to qualified […]

Vol. 29 No. 13 – Police Officers Who Shot at Driver of Fleeing Vehicle to End Dangerous Vehicle Pursuit Did Not Violate the Fourth Amendment and Entitled to Qualified Immunity for their Actions

POLICE OFFICERS WHO SHOT AT THE DRIVER OF A FLEEING VEHICLE TO END A DANGEROUS VEHICLE PURSUIT DID NOT VIOLATE THE FOURTH AMENDMENT AND WERE ALSO ENTITLED TO QUALIFIED IMMUNITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS On May 27, 2014, the United States Supreme Court issued an opinion entitled Plumhoff v. Rickard, in which the Court held that […]

Vol. 29 No. 12 – ANONYMOUS TIP MAY PROVIDE REASONABLE SUSPICION FOR INVESTIGATIVE STOP

ANONYMOUS TIP MAY PROVIDE REASONABLE SUSPICION FOR INVESTIGATIVE STOP  On April 22, 2014, the United States Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the California Court of Appeal, in Navarette v. California, which held that an anonymous tip can, under certain circumstances, provide an officer with reasonable suspicion to make an investigative stop. Appellants/Defendants Lorenzo and Jose […]

Vol. 29 No. 10 – ICE SAYS DETAINERS ARE OPTIONAL

ICE SAYS DETAINERS ARE OPTIONAL Recently, the Acting Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Daniel H. Ragsdale, sent a letter to Congressman Mike Thompson, Sonoma County, CA, regarding immigration detainers.  Apparently Congressman Thompson wrote to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asking for clarification regarding the legal effect of the detainers. In […]

Vol. 28 No. 25 – U.S. Supreme Court Reverses Denial of Qualified Immunity

U.S. SUPREME COURT REVERSES DENIAL OF QUALIFIED IMMUNITY On November 4, 2013, the United States Supreme Court unanimously reversed a decision by the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals denying qualified immunity for an officer.  In the case of Stanton v. Sims, the lower court held that Officer Stanton’s warrantless entry into Sims’ yard was […]

Vol. 28 No. 15 – Warrantless Seizure Was Lawful, Warrantless Search Was Not.

WARRANTLESS SEIZURE WAS LAWFUL; WARRANTLESS SEARCH WAS NOT On June 27, 2013, the California Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, held in the case of Robey v. Superior Court of Santa Barbara County (People), 2013 DAR 8422, that “although a container‘s mobility may constitute exigent circumstances sufficient to justify a warrantless seizure, it cannot alone justify […]