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Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure

Every decision we've filed under Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure.

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Civil 3399 Criminal 1956 Summary Judgment 806 Sentencing Guidelines 718 Civil Rights - Section 1983 647 Immigration (Civil) 646 Constitutional 536 Supervised Release 473 Drug Trafficking 443 Civil Rights - Employment 367 Firearms 319 Qualified Immunity 251
Apr 28 2026
8th Cir. 24-3316 Panel Decision

Robert Ward v. City of Sherwood, Arkansas, an Arkansas municipality; Matt Harris

The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of qualified immunity to Officer Harris, holding that no clearly established law prohibited his warning against using foul language in public near children during a noise complaint investigation. The court found that Ward's belligerent conduct provided arguable probable cause for a disorderly conduct arrest, defeating his constitutional claims.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
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Apr 28 2026
8th Cir. 24-3316 Panel Decision

Robert Ward v. City of Sherwood, Arkansas, an Arkansas municipality; Matt Harris

The Eighth Circuit affirmed a district court ruling granting qualified immunity to a police officer who arrested a plaintiff for disorderly conduct. The court held that the officer had arguable probable cause to believe the plaintiff engaged in threatening behavior and that the force used was reasonable under the circumstances.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
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Apr 24 2026
10th Cir. 1:23-CV-00843-GPG-NRN Panel Decision

Puller, et al. v. Greco, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a § 1983 false arrest and malicious prosecution claim against Denver police officers, ruling that the officers were protected by qualified immunity. The court held that an ambiguous surveillance video did not clearly establish that the officers lacked arguable probable cause to arrest the plaintiffs.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Criminal Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 24 2026
10th Cir. 2:24-CV-00245-ABJ Panel Decision

Jarvis v. County of Teton Wyoming, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Ryan-Michael Jarvis's civil rights complaint, ruling that law enforcement officers had probable cause to arrest him based on witness reports of threats and aggression at a music festival. The court held that the officers' actions were reasonable under the Fourth Amendment and that the district court correctly applied absolute prosecutorial immunity and qualified immunity to the defendants.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
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Apr 24 2026
9th Cir. 1:21-cr-00004-TMB-MMS-1 Unpublished

United States v. Jones

The Ninth Circuit affirmed Dustin Jones's convictions for drug trafficking and felon-in-possession, ruling that his anchored boat qualified as a vehicle under the Fourth Amendment. The court further held that officers had reasonable belief the suspect was inside to justify the arrest warrant execution and that the felon-in-possession statute remains constitutional as applied to non-violent felons.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
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Apr 23 2026
6th Cir. 25-5733 Published

Eurton v. Thomas

The Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers who entered a home to conduct a welfare check, ruling that their actions were objectively reasonable under the emergency aid exception. The court held that the officers were shielded by qualified immunity because a reasonable officer could have believed immediate force was necessary to prevent harm given the dispatch warnings and the plaintiff's behavior.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 23 2026
6th Cir. 24-4060 2-1

Driscoll v. Montgomery Cnty. Bd. of Comm'rs

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of Deputy Smiley's qualified immunity motion, holding that a reasonable officer could not have known that shooting an unarmed, non-dangerous man with evident diminished capacity violated clearly established law. The court concluded that the deputy's belief that the plaintiff was drinking gasoline was objectively unreasonable, rendering the use of deadly force unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 22 2026
9th Cir. 3:23-cr-05326-BHS-1 Unpublished

USA v. Colfax

The Ninth Circuit affirmed Schylar Colfax's conviction for abusive sexual contact with a minor, finding the evidence sufficient to prove intent to gratify sexual desire. The court rejected challenges regarding witness credibility, the suppression of statements, and the admission of prior bad acts, concluding no reversible error occurred.

Criminal Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Sex Offenses
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Apr 21 2026
10th Cir. 1:20-CV-01878-RBJ Panel Decision

Packard, et al. v. City and County of Denver, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed a jury verdict finding a Denver police officer liable for excessive force, rejecting his qualified immunity claim because clearly established law prohibited using pepperballs on peaceful, unarmed protesters without warning. The court also upheld the denial of a bifurcation motion and the punitive damages award, confirming that the officer acted with reckless indifference to the plaintiff's constitutional rights.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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