US Supreme Court says passenger can be frisked
Lawyer Blogs
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that police officers have leeway to frisk a passenger in a car stopped for a traffic violation even if nothing indicates the passenger has committed a crime or is about to do so.
The court on Monday unanimously overruled an Arizona appeals court that threw out evidence found during such an encounter.
The case involved a 2002 pat-down search of an Eloy, Ariz., man by an Oro Valley police officer, who found a gun and marijuana.
The justices accepted Arizona's argument that traffic stops are inherently dangerous for police and that pat-downs are permissible when an officer has a reasonable suspicion that the passenger may be armed and dangerous.
The pat-down is allowed if the police "harbor reasonable suspicion that a person subjected to the frisk is armed, and therefore dangerous to the safety of the police and public," Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said.
Related listings
-
Court to hear 9/11 conspirator's appeal in Va.
Lawyer Blogs 01/26/2009A federal appeals court in Virginia is set to hear arguments for a new trial by Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui (zak-uh-REE'-uhs moo-SOW'-ee). Moussaoui was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to helping plan the 2001 terrorist ...
-
Cooper Tire, Miss. law firm settle lawsuit
Lawyer Blogs 01/23/2009Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. has settled a lawsuit against one of Mississippi's top legal firms as it was scheduled to go to trial in federal court in Oxford. The Findlay, Ohio-based tire company's lawsuit sought $189 million from attorney John Booth F...
-
Ill. governor's lawyer: I might sue to stop trial
Lawyer Blogs 01/23/2009Facing almost certain defeat in a Senate impeachment trial, Gov. Rod Blagojevich might ask the courts to step in and block a proceeding that he considers "a sham," a lawyer for the Democratic governor said Thursday. Attorney Samuel E. Adam told The A...
Victorville CA DUI defense Attorneys
The outcome of a DUI defense will have a long-term effect on anyone’s life, making the decision to receive legal representation an easy one. The fact is, most people accused of a DUI are first offenders with no criminal background. Whether this is your first run in with the law or you have had previous convictions, you are in need of a DUI defense attorney.
The charges you are facing for a DUI range from fines, a 12-month suspension on your license and worst-case scenario, prison time. Your attorney will be able to analyze your situation to decide the best way to go about your case.
Our attorneys know the tricky ways to challenge all of the DUI tests and know how to claim improper collection of evidence. We will be able to negotiate on your behalf and free you from charges and help you keep your drivers license. The DUI process can last up to several months, we can make this process easier on you. .