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Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Police Emergency Lights Next to Parked Car Constitute Seizure
by Dale Chappell
When a Pennsylvania state trooper turned on his emergency lights and pulled next to a car parked on the side of the road, it was an “investigative detention” for which he did not have “reasonable suspicion.” In an issue of first impression before the Pennsylvania …
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More from this issue:
- Indigent Defense in America: An Affront to Justice, by Christopher Zoukis
- News in Brief
- Mississippi Supreme Court Caps Attorney’s Fees in Wrongful Conviction Cases at 25%
- West Virginia Supremes: Previous Nonviolent Crimes, Life Sentence Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
- Fourth Circuit: No Qualified Immunity for Deputies in Shooting of Armed Suspect, by Dale Chappell
- California Court of Appeal Holds State Must Prove Stolen Car’s Value for Felony Theft of Vehicle Conviction, by Dale Chappell
- Don't Take a Genetic Test Without Reading This First
- “Get Out of Jail” Free Cards for Cops’ Family, Friends Cut, by Christopher Zoukis
- Even Prosecutors Can’t Get Secret List of L.A. Cops With Credibility Problems, by Dale Chappell
- Sixth Circuit: Sentence Enhancement Inapplicable, Sales of Guns and Drugs Separate, by Dale Chappell
- Philly Decriminalizes Possession of Small Amounts of Marijuana, by Christopher Zoukis
- Magistrate Judge: Change Rule of Evidence That Allows Prior Conviction to Impeach Witness, by Derek Gilna
- New York Court of Appeals: Defendant Denied Right to Speedy Trial After 6-Year Delay, by Richard Resch
- Texas Supremes: Possession of Gun Does Not Constitute “Use” Under Forfeiture Statute, by Dale Chappell
- Mass. Supremes: Consent to Search in Vehicle Did Not Extend to Engine, by Richard Resch
- Gang Enhancement: California Court Reverses Denial of Motion for New Trial, by Derek Gilna
- $900,000 to Octogenarian Tased by Police
- Fired New Orleans Cops Just Move to Other Departments, by Dale Chappell
- U.S. Supreme Court: Guilty Plea No Bar to Defendant Challenging Constitutionality, by Richard Resch
- Washington Supremes: Former Prisoner Can Take Bar, by Derek Gilna
- Illinois Supremes: Barring Firearms Within 1,000 Feet of Parks Facially Unconstitutional, by Richard Resch
- Lack of Criminal Intent: Missouri Supreme Acquits on Drug Possession Charge, by Suzanne Bring
- Cops Killed 100 Times More Americans Than Terrorists Did in 2017, by Christopher Zoukis
- $275,000 to Man Arrested for Recording Police
- 7 Years Pre-Trial Incarceration: Vacated Convictions
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Police Emergency Lights Next to Parked Car Constitute Seizure, by Dale Chappell
- California Supreme: “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt” Standard for Second Strike, by Edward Lyon
- Not Disclosed: NSA-Obtained Evidence, by Derek Gilna
- Video: A Two-Edged Sword, by Michael Avery
- $4.8 Million Settles Kansas City Police Shooting, by Matthew Clarke
- Pennsylvania Supremes: Modified “Vertical” Approach to Collective Knowledge Doctrine, by Richard Resch
- Defense Fails to Present Diminished Capacity, Ninth Circuit Vacates Murder Convictions, by Christopher Zoukis
- Kansas Supremes: No Lifetime Post-Release Supervision, by Derek Gilna
- Mass. Disciplines Prosecutors: No More Business as Usual, by Derek Gilna
- Miranda Violation: 9th Circuit Reverses Murder Conviction, by Christopher Zoukis
- Law Enforcement Scrambles to Hide Stingray Use, by Derek Gilna
- Officer-Involved Shooting Data? Hard to Find!, by Christopher Zoukis
- Defendant’s Right to Testify Violated: Hawaii Supreme Vacates Conviction, by Norma Gonzalez
- Georgia Attempts to Limit Access to Official State Law, by Derek Gilna
- Sheriff Wanted Medical Examiner to Alter Reports, by Dale Chappell
- Witness Misidentification: Ohio Man’s 14 Convictions Vacated, by Mark Wilson
- Texas: Retroactive Application of Law That Decriminalized Specific Conduct Not Violation of Separation of Powers, by Dale Chappell
- Data: High Rate of Sexual Abuse by Cops, by Christopher Zoukis
- $ Millions to Settle Philly Police Misconduct Cases, by Derek Gilna
- Fight Mass Incarceration? There’s an App for That, by Derek Gilna
More from Dale Chappell:
- Arguing Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, June 1, 2025
- How to Take Your Postconviction Case Directly to the U.S. Supreme Court: A Roadmap to Direct Collateral Review, March 15, 2025
- Federal Habeas Corpus for State Prisoners: Proving Unreasonableness Under AEDPA, Feb. 1, 2025
- Federal Court Rules Michigan’s Sex Offender Registration Laws Violate Constitution, Dec. 1, 2024
- Refuting the Government’s Argument Against Nonretroactive Changes in Law as Grounds for Compassionate Release, Oct. 1, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Getting Around Procedural Default, July 15, 2024
- The Death of the Savings Clause, May 15, 2024
- Federal Habeas Corpus: Understanding Second or Successive Petitions for State Prisoners, April 15, 2024
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates Relief From Death Penalty, Citing State’s Forfeiture of Argument Against Relief, May 15, 2023
- Federal Habeas Corpus: The Evidentiary Hearing for Federal Prisoners, April 15, 2023
More from these topics:
- Fourth Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Strip Searches Resulting from Anonymous Tips, Sept. 1, 2026. Strip Searches, Qualified Immunity, Fourth Amendment, rights, Suspicionless Searches.
- Surveillance for Sale: The Data Broker Loophole and the Fourth Amendment After Chatrie, July 1, 2026. Fourth Amendment, rights, Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance, Federal Funds, Tainted Funds.
- The Constitution for Sale: FBI Confirms Resumption of Data Broker Dragnets, June 1, 2026. Fourth Amendment, rights, Warrantless Searches, Cell-Phone Location/Tracking Data, Electronic Surveillance, Privacy Act/Rights.
- SCOTUS Clarifies Emergency-Aid Home Entries Require Only an “Objectively Reasonable Basis for Believing” an Occupant Faces Serious Danger, Rejecting a Probable-Cause Standard and Montana’s Terry-Like Caretaker Test, Feb. 1, 2026. Fourth Amendment, rights, Probable Cause, Exigent Circumstances, Warrantless Searches, Motions To Suppress.
- Flock’s Gunshot Sensors Are Expanding to “Distress” Sounds, Feb. 1, 2026. Fourth Amendment, rights, Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance, Recordings, Privacy Act/Rights.
- Massive $112 Million Jury Verdict for Detainees Held in New York Jail Past Release Date on ICE Detainers, Jan. 1, 2026. Fourth Amendment, rights, Detention - Generally, Unlawful Detention, Immunity - Sovereign/Municipal, Damages - Compensatory.
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court (Opinion Announcing the Judgment of the Court): No Reasonable Expectation of Privacy in Unprotected Google Searches, Jan. 1, 2026. Fourth Amendment, rights, Probable Cause, Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet, Privacy Act/Rights, State Constitutional Claims.
- Ninth Circuit Announces Abandonment Doctrine Applies to Cellphones but Courts Must Analyze Intent to Abandon Device Separately From Intent to Abandon Data, Dec. 15, 2025. Fourth Amendment, rights, Cell-Phones, Motions To Suppress, Digital Devices, Seizure.
- For Delay in Summoning Medical Care for Detainees, Alabama Jailers Granted Immunity But California Trooper Headed to Trial, Nov. 1, 2025. Failure to Treat, Qualified Immunity, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Fourth Amendment, rights, Deliberate Indifference.
- Drones and License Plate Readers: Police Creating Warrantless Aerial Surveillance Networks, Oct. 15, 2025. Fourth Amendment, rights, Police State-Surveillance, Warrantless Searches, Curtilege, Electronic Surveillance.
