FOURTH AMENDMENT

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FOURTH AMENDMENT

• Hon. John Houston

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SEIZURES

• PROHIBITS UNREASONABLE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES
• SEIZURES USUALLY - INVESTIGATORY STOPS (TERRY
  v. OHIO)       1) Must be based upon
  articulable suspicion
• (Limited grounds- Officers safety)
• 2) Must be limited duration to be reasonable  
                     
• 3) Unreasonable length of detention Unlawful
  detention  
•              4) Where detention is based upon
  probable cause
• length is not an issue

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SEARCHES  UPON WARRANT

• GENERALLY -MUST OBTAIN WARRANT
• PROBABLE CAUSE
• Shown upon oath and affirmation (can be
  telephonic)
• Process in Federal Court
• Notice of Search
• Must leave a copy of the warrant and inventory of
  property seized
• Exceptions

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PROBABLE CAUSE PLUS

• ELECTRONIC EAVESDROPPING
• Listening devices
• Transponders
• Wire interceptions
• HEIGHTENED BURDEN
• LESS INTRUSIVE MEANS
• MINIMALIZATION
• COURT OVERSIGHT      

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WARRANTLESS SEARCHES

• SEARCH WITHOUT A WARRANT UPON PROBABLE CAUSE
   1) Must be reasonable
•              

• Examples
• Incident to Arrest
• Plain View
• Inventory- inevitable discovery
• Automobile
• Border Searches
• Stationary Check Point Searches
• Officers Safety
• Security Sweeps
• Pat Downs
• Fleeing Felon entering Home
• Employer Property

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SEARCHES WITH OR WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE

• UPON CONSENT 1) Knowing and Voluntary
• 2) Need not be in Writing
• 3) Search must be Reasonable
• 4) Limited to Scope of Consent
• 5) Consent may be retracted at anytime
•           (What about Roommates?)

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AGAIN ... SEARCH MUST BE REASONABLE

• WITH WARRANT .. Must Execute between 7 am and
  10 pm
• Execution must be executed with Reasonable Force
• Excessive Force Unreasonable Search
• Eg.   Force upon a 70 year Grandmother with a
  Valid Warrant
• Force upon 7 month old Pregnant Woman with Valid
  Warrant
• Shooting at Suspect While Trying to Detain Him
• Destruction of Property during Search Border/Home
  

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REMEDIES - FOR VIOLATION

• A. CRIMINAL Suppression of Evidence
• B. CIVIL CASE Civil Rights Violation Suit (18
  USC 1983)
• C. CRIMINAL PROSECUTION

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• D.    MISREPRESENTATIONS IN THE AFFIRMATION    
                      SUPPRESSION OF EVIDENCE    
                      SANCTIONS                  
        CIVIL LIABILITY