Supreme Court Restricts Police
The Supreme Court handed down an important Fourth Amendment decision yesterday in Rodriguez v. United States, prohibiting police from extending the duration of a traffic stop without reasonable suspicion, even for a very small amount of time, for reasons unrelated to vehicle and driver safety. It’s reassuring that the “Roberts” Court, known for its conservative leanings, is not afraid to limit police action in the name of our federal Constitution.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/04/21/supreme-court-police-dog-sniff/26125735/
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Emergency Aid Exception
On April 11, 2014 Massachusetts’ Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the “emergency aid exception” to the constitutional warrant requirement extended to police action undertaken to render emergency assistance to animals. This was a “case of first impression”, and the ruling is sure to please animal rights activists. For a brief summary of the facts and discussion of the ruling, go to:
http://www.valleyadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=17815
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