Ninth Circuit: Reasonable Suspicion Justifying Traffic Stop Doesn’t Provide Probable Cause to Open Door and Lean Inside Vehicle by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that reasonable suspicion permitting police to conduct a traffic stop did not provide police with probable cause to open the …

New York Court of Appeals Reverses Denial of Suppression Motion Where Prosecution Fails to Provide Specific Facts to Show Traffic Stop Was Lawful by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney The Court of Appeals of New York reversed the decision of the appellate division that had affirmed a county court’s denial …

Fourth Circuit: Commercial Vehicle Permit Requirement Insufficient Grounds to Initiate Traffic Stop by Anthony Accurso by Anthony Accurso The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that a law enforcement officer lacked reasonable suspicion of illegality when he initiated a traffic stop of a commercial vehicle based solely …

New York Court of Appeals Clarifies When Police May Conduct Traffic Stops by Douglas Ankney by Douglas Ankney The New York Court of Appeals clarified when police may lawfully conduct traffic stops, explaining that “stopping a vehicle for a traffic infraction requires probable cause; stopping a vehicle for suspicion of …

Wisconsin Supreme Court: Officers Wrongly Inventoried Vehicle for Towing, Requiring Suppression of Evidence by Anthony Accurso by Anthony Accurso The Supreme Court of Wisconsin held that the Court of Appeals erred when it affirmed the denial of a suppression motion because officers were not acting in their role as “community …

Wyoming Supreme Court Finds IAC Where Counsel Failed to Challenge Prolonging of Traffic Stop After Citation Completed by Anthony Accurso by Anthony Accurso The Supreme Court of Wyoming held that a defendant’s counsel was ineffective for failing to challenge the extension of the traffic stop that eventually uncovered evidence resulting …