Case Law Library

A police officer can stop and pat you down if they have a specific, articulable reason to suspect you of criminal activity — not just a hunc…

Running away from police, especially in an area known for crime, can give officers enough reason to stop you. However, the Court noted that …

Police cannot extend a traffic stop beyond the time needed to deal with the original reason for stopping you — like writing a ticket — just …

You have a constitutional right to record police officers performing their duties in public. This right was clearly established enough that …

Illinois tried to use its wiretapping law to prosecute people who recorded police. The court struck this down, ruling that recording police …

You have the right to record police activity even if you are just a bystander. You do not have to be personally involved in or affected by w…

The court found that NYC police were stopping Black and Latino people at dramatically higher rates than white people without adequate justif…

Whether police used too much force is judged by what a "reasonable officer" would have done given the circumstances at the moment force was …

Police cannot shoot a fleeing suspect just because they're running away. They can only use deadly force to stop a fleeing person if that per…

When a fleeing suspect poses a serious threat to others (like driving recklessly at high speed), police can use significant force to stop th…

The government needs a warrant to listen to your private communications even in a public place if you have a reasonable expectation of priva…

If you're lawfully stopped for a traffic violation, police can use a drug-sniffing dog around the outside of your car without a warrant — as…

Police can approach you on a bus, train, or in other public places, ask questions, and ask for permission to search — without any reason to …

Before police question you after you're arrested, they must tell you: you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can be used agai…

Staying quiet is not enough — you must clearly and explicitly say "I am invoking my right to remain silent" or "I want a lawyer." If you eve…

If you're not under arrest and police are questioning you, simply going silent when asked an incriminating question can be used against you …

Schools can search students with less justification than police need. But the search must be reasonable: school officials need a reasonable …

Police generally need a warrant to get your cell phone location history from your carrier. The government cannot simply subpoena your phone …

Police officers are protected by 'qualified immunity' — you can only sue them if they violated a 'clearly established' constitutional right.…

Cities can be sued for civil rights violations when they fail to properly train officers and that failure leads to a constitutional violatio…

If police stop you illegally but then discover you have an outstanding warrant, any evidence found during the resulting search may still be …

If police knock on your door, you hear them, and then they hear sounds suggesting evidence is being destroyed, they can enter without a warr…