Search and Seizure Checklist

1
Search and Seizure Checklist

• Group Discussion

2
The Checklist
Has a Search or Seizure taken place? - Did a
government employee or agent conduct the search
or seizure? (if no, then NO violation) - Was
it a search or seizure as defined by the
courts? Did the person have a reasonable
expectation of privacy? (if no, then NO
violation) Was the itemin plain view? In an
open field? Abandoned? (if YES to any of
these, then no violation) Was the Search or
seizure reasonable? - Was the search or seizure
conducted with a valid warrant? (if YES, then
no violation) - If not, does one of the
exceptions to the warrant requirement apply?
Motor Vehicles? Incident to a lawful arrest?
Stop Frisk? Consent? Hot Pursuit?
Emergency Circumstances? Border Searches?
Airline/Security Searches? (If YES, then no
violation)
3
Case 1 Hans Metcalf

• Smith and Houston, special investigators from the
  district attorneys office, had been following
  Hans Metcalf, a suspected bookie. They saw him
  enter a telephone booth with a briefcase in his
  hand and make a short call. He then left the
  phone booth, but without his briefcase. Smith
  and Houston rushed to the phone booth, opened the
  briefcase, and found several bundles of betting
  slips. Just then, Metcalf returned to retrieve
  his briefcase and was arrested.
• Apply the Search and Seizure checklist to see if
  a violation occurred.

4
The Checklist
Has a Search or Seizure taken place? - Did a
government employee or agent conduct the search
or seizure? (if no, then NO violation) - Was
it a search or seizure as defined by the
courts? Did the person have a reasonable
expectation of privacy? (if no, then NO
violation) Was the itemin plain view? In an
open field? Abandoned? (if YES to any of
these, then no violation) Was the Search or
seizure reasonable? - Was the search or seizure
conducted with a valid warrant? (if YES, then
no violation) - If not, does one of the
exceptions to the warrant requirement apply?
Motor Vehicles? Incident to a lawful arrest?
Stop Frisk? Consent? Hot Pursuit?
Emergency Circumstances? Border Searches?
Airline/Security Searches? (If YES, then no
violation)
5
Case 2 Vivian Madison

• Mary Krensy was angry with her roommate, Vivian
  Madison. She went to the police and offered to
  show them where Vivian was hiding 50 stolen
  holiday turkeys. The police accompanied her to
  the garage both women shared and discovered 50
  turkeys reported stolen from the Henderson
  Poultry Company. The police confiscated the
  poultry and placed Vivian under arrest.
• Apply the Search and Seizure checklist to see if
  a violation occurred.

6
The Checklist
Has a Search or Seizure taken place? - Did a
government employee or agent conduct the search
or seizure? (if no, then NO violation) - Was
it a search or seizure as defined by the
courts? Did the person have a reasonable
expectation of privacy? (if no, then NO
violation) Was the itemin plain view? In an
open field? Abandoned? (if YES to any of
these, then no violation) Was the Search or
seizure reasonable? - Was the search or seizure
conducted with a valid warrant? (if YES, then
no violation) - If not, does one of the
exceptions to the warrant requirement apply?
Motor Vehicles? Incident to a lawful arrest?
Stop Frisk? Consent? Hot Pursuit?
Emergency Circumstances? Border Searches?
Airline/Security Searches? (If YES, then no
violation)
7
Case 3 Dan Lewis

• Officer Hanano was on patrol late at night.
  Suddenly, she spotted a house trailer behind, but
  not attached to, a car with no license plates.
  On closer inspection, she noticed a this wisp of
  smoke escaping from one of the trailer windows.
  She walked to the door and knocked a few times.
  A voice called back, Go away!! The officer
  forced the door and found a man preparing a
  liquid substance in a makeshift laboratory.
  Officer Harano arrested the man, whose name is
  Dan Lewis, for manufacturing of illegal drugs.
• Apply the Search and Seizure checklist to see if
  a violation occurred.

8
The Checklist
Has a Search or Seizure taken place? - Did a
government employee or agent conduct the search
or seizure? (if no, then NO violation) - Was
it a search or seizure as defined by the
courts? Did the person have a reasonable
expectation of privacy? (if no, then NO
violation) Was the itemin plain view? In an
open field? Abandoned? (if YES to any of
these, then no violation) Was the Search or
seizure reasonable? - Was the search or seizure
conducted with a valid warrant? (if YES, then
no violation) - If not, does one of the
exceptions to the warrant requirement apply?
Motor Vehicles? Incident to a lawful arrest?
Stop Frisk? Consent? Hot Pursuit?
Emergency Circumstances? Border Searches?
Airline/Security Searches? (If YES, then no
violation)
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Case 4 Betty Kim

• Acting on an informants tip that Betty Kim was
  receiving stolen property, Detective Drebs went
  to her apartment to talk to her. She invited him
  in, but when he started to poke around the living
  room she screamed, I said you could talk, not
  search the place. Get out! He grabbed her, put
  handcuffs on her, then frisked her. He found a
  scout knife in her pants pocket and arrested her
  for disturbing the peace and carrying a concealed
  weapon. He then searched the living room and
  found a stolen stereo receiver.
• Apply the Search and Seizure checklist to see if
  a violation occurred.

10
The Checklist
Has a Search or Seizure taken place? - Did a
government employee or agent conduct the search
or seizure? (if no, then NO violation) - Was
it a search or seizure as defined by the
courts? Did the person have a reasonable
expectation of privacy? (if no, then NO
violation) Was the itemin plain view? In an
open field? Abandoned? (if YES to any of
these, then no violation) Was the Search or
seizure reasonable? - Was the search or seizure
conducted with a valid warrant? (if YES, then
no violation) - If not, does one of the
exceptions to the warrant requirement apply?
Motor Vehicles? Incident to a lawful arrest?
Stop Frisk? Consent? Hot Pursuit?
Emergency Circumstances? Border Searches?
Airline/Security Searches? (If YES, then no
violation)