4th amendment cases by Jamilex Valle

terry v. ohio

2024-05-15 14:38:55 UTC

summary - Terry and two other men were seen by a police officer (not wearing his uniform). The officer thought they were a threat, so he frisked the men. The officer fought two weapons on the men. Terry was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon and sent to jail for three years.

question - Was the search and seizure of Terry and the other men in violation of the Fourth Amendment?

scotus ruling - 8 - 1 ruling in favor of Ohio. The Court found that the officer acted on more than a "hunch".

unprotected or protected - Rights were unprotected.

Riley v. California

val514700 — 2024-05-15 14:40:00 UTC

Summary: The police pulled Riley over driving a different car; he was driving on expired license registration tags. Because Riley's driver's license was suspended, police policy required that the car be impounded. Before a car is impounded, police are required to perform an inventory search. During the search, police located two guns and arrested Riley for possession of the firearms. Riley had his cell phone in his pocket, so a gang unit detective analyzed videos and photographs of Riley making gang signs that were stored on the phone. Riley was tied to the shooting on August 2, and separate charges were brought to include shooting at an occupied vehicle, attempted murder, and assault with a semi-automatic firearm.

Question/issue: Was the evidence admitted at trial from Riley's cell phone discovered through a search that violated his Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches?

SCOTUS rules: 9-0 in favor of California. The Court held that the warrantless search exception following an arrest exists for the purposes of protecting officer safety and preserving evidence, neither of which is at issue in the search of digital data.

Uphold or Protect: Limited

Vernonia School District vs. Acton

2024-05-15 14:40:41 UTC

Summary: An investigation found that High School Athletes were participating in drug use. The Vernonia School District thus made a policy that made athletes take a drug test to participate in the sport. James Acton and his parents didn't want to take part in the drug test and were denied participation due to him not doing the drug test.

Constitutional Question: Does random drug testing of high school athletes violate the reasonable search and seizure clause of the Fourth Amendment?

Ruling: In a 6-3 decision for Vernonia School District SCOTUS found that since the school kids are under government supervision the safety of the school and the kids overrides the minimal instruction of the students privacy.

Rights: Acton's rights were limited

Safford Unified School District V. Redding

agu513974 — 2024-05-15 14:40:57 UTC

summary case - Savana Redding, an eighth grader at Safford Middle School was strip-searched by school officials and Ms. Redding felt it was a violation of her Fourth Amendment.
Constitutional issue - Does the Fourth Amendment prohibit schools from strip-searching from reason to believe that their policy was violated?
SCOTUS ruling - 8–1 for Safford Unified School District
Redding's rights were limited

Delaware vs. Prouse

2024-05-16 13:29:14 UTC

Summary: A man was stopped for no reason while driving by police. The police man found marijuana that was used against Prouse.

Constitutional Question: Did the officer's search of Prouse's automobile constitute an unreasonable search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment?

Ruling: 8-1 decision found that the police must have probable cause to search the vehicle.

Protected

cops taking urine samples

2024-05-16 13:31:47 UTC

In 2009, Lockard was pulled over for not stopping at a stop sign. Police suspected he was drunk and had him take a breathalyzer test. He was .07, just under the legal limit. However police were not convinced, they ended up getting a warrant for a blood and urine test. He was willing to give the blood test however Lockard said he couldn't give a urine sample. The police took Lockard to the emergency room and handcuffed him to a bed. A police sergeant held one of Lockard’s ankles while an officer held the other. A nurse inserted a catheter — a tube, typically 16 inches long — up the urethra, through the prostate and into the bladder.

This relates to the 4th amendment because it was forcing Lockard to give a urine sample when unreasonable.