Articles Posted in Property Seizures

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects you from unlawful searches and seizures. This means police can’t just stop you, search your belongings, or take your property without following the law. Still, violations happen. One of the most debated practices tied to the Fourth Amendment is “stop and frisk.” Over the years, this approach has raised serious concerns about racial discrimination. In fact, a New York court found the NYPD’s program unconstitutional, even while officials in other states insisted on keeping the practice in place. So, what exactly is a stop-and-frisk, and when does it cross the line into...

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures. In general, this requires police officers, or other government officials, to obtain a warrant prior to conducting a search. However, over the years, courts have carved out several exceptions to the warrant requirement, based on the reasoning that not every search is “unreasonable,” and not everything that would seem to be a search is legally recognized as a search. Whether a search related to a Michigan airport crime is valid can depend on a number of circumstances. Most airport searches are considered administrative searches, and...

Though you may not pay close attention to headlines in the legal world, you may want to take note of a recent opinion from the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). The landmark case of Carpenter v. United States, which arose out of events and criminal allegations in Michigan, has significant implications for anyone who is charged in a crime based upon cell phone data. In sum, the finding expands your privacy rights because it limits the type of information police can obtain without a warrant. You should entrust your case with a knowledgeable Michigan criminal defense lawyer, but...