On Point: 35. Search & Seizure

State v. Calvin Jerome Pirtle, 2011 WI App 89(recommended for publication); for Pirtle: Christopher J. Cherella; case activity

Consent to Search – Georgia v. Randolph

Pirtle’s failure to object to the police presence allowed them to act on the co-tenant’s consent to a warrantless search under Georgia v. Randolph, 547 U.S. 103 (2006):

¶15      In Randolph,

State v. Andrew R. Reierson, 2010AP596-CR, District 4, 4/28/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Reierson: John Smerlinski; case activity

The officer’s erroneous reading of Reierson’s license plate, causing the officer to wrongly believe that his registration had expired, nonetheless supported stop of the car under the good-faith rule.

¶11      We conclude the circuit court properly denied the motion to suppress because the officer had probable cause to stop Reierson for operating with an expired registration,

State v. Allen L. Resch, 2010AP2321-CR, District 2, 4/27/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Resch: Christopher Lee Wiesmueller, Corinne N. Wiesmueller; case activity

Reasonable suspicion supported investigatory stop for possible burglary, where vehicle was parked in private business parking lot at 2:26 a.m., with engine running and lights off.

¶13      Specifically, as the trial court indicated, the time of day is an important factor in determining whether a law enforcement officer had a reasonable suspicion. 

State v. Ralph H. Davis, 2011 WI App 74 (recommended for publication); for Davis: Chandra N. Harvey, SPD, Madison Appellate; case activity

Warrantless Entry – Curtilage – Implied Invitation Doctrine

¶9      The protections of the Fourth Amendment extend beyond the walls of the home to the “curtilage.” Oliver v. United States, 466 U.S. 170, 180 (1984). “[C]urtilage is the area to which extends the intimate activity associated with the sanctity of a [person]’s home and the privacies of life,

on petition for review of summary order; for Goss: Daniel J. Chapman; case activity

Issue (formulated by On Point:

Whether probable cause of intoxication to administer a preliminary breath test under § 343.303 was shown by the smell of alcohol on the driver along with four prior OWI convictions.

The catch: with 4 priors, Goss’s legal blood alcohol content limit would have been .02. Given that greatly reduced threshold,

State v. Joe R. Hechimovich, 2010AP2897-CR, District 4, 4/7/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Hechimovich: Corey C. Chirafisi; case activity

Compliance with implied consent law found. Although Hechimovich initially requested a breath test, after his blood was drawn at the hospital, the deputy “gave ample opportunity” during a 10-minute period for Hechimovich to renew the request for breath test. The deputy “conclud(ed) that when Hechimovich did not bring it up following his blood test,

State v. Rafael Labedzki, 2010AP2501-CR, District 2, 4/6/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Labedzki: Walter Arthur, Piel, Jr.; case activity

Reasonable suspicion for sobriety testing upheld, where officer had basis for concluding Labedzki was driving while intoxicated after an unchallenged stop for speeding. In brief: “Given that the trooper observed an alcoholic smell coming from Labedzki’s vehicle, a passenger who appeared drunk, bloodshot and glassy eyes on Labedzki,

County of Sheboygan v. Jeffrey L. Bubolz, 2010AP2997, District 2, 4/6/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Bubolz: Casey J. Hoff; case activity

Ignoring a warning sign that a road is closed except to local traffic creates reasonable suspicion for a traffic stop, even though the sign was an “unofficial” one put up by the contractor.

¶11      Failure to adhere to official traffic signs is a violation of WIS.

Docket

Decision below (621 F.3d 296 (3rd Cir 2010))

Question Presented:

Whether the Fourth Amendment permits a jail to conduct a suspicionless strip search of every individual arrested for any minor offense no matter what the circumstances.

Scotusblog page

Caselaw in this Circuit has long rejected suspicionless jail strip searches for minor offenses. Mary Beth G.

City of West Allis v. Susan Schneidler, 2010AP2531, District 1, 4/5/11

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Schneidler: Thomas C. Simon; case activity

Tip from an identified citizen informant – that she had seen Schneidler drinking alcohol before driving off – supported stop of Schneidler’s car, without requiring independent corroboration.

¶18      In short, Parr was a reliable witness who told police that she personally observed Schneidler drink alcohol and then drive and who made herself available to the police for questioning.