- City of Indianapolis v. Edmond
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City of Indianapolis v. Edmond
Supreme Court of the United StatesArgued October 3, 2000
Decided November 28, 2000Full case name City of Indianapolis, et al. v. James Edmond, et al. Citations 531 U.S. 32 (more)
121 S. Ct. 447; 148 L. Ed. 2d 333; 2000 U.S. LEXIS 8084; 69 U.S.L.W. 4009; 2000 Cal. Daily Op. Service 9549; 2000 Colo. J. C.A.R. 6401; 14 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 9Prior history On writ of certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit Holding Police may not conduct roadblocks "whose primary purpose is to detect evidence of ordinary criminal wrongdoing." Such roadblocks must have a specific primary purpose, such as keeping roadways safe from impaired drivers, or enforcing border security. Court membership Chief Justice
William RehnquistAssociate Justices
John P. Stevens · Sandra Day O'Connor
Antonin Scalia · Anthony Kennedy
David Souter · Clarence Thomas
Ruth Bader Ginsburg · Stephen BreyerCase opinions Majority O'Connor, joined by Stevens, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg, Breyer Dissent Rehnquist, joined by Thomas; Scalia (only as to Part I) Dissent Thomas Laws applied U.S. Const. City of Indianapolis v. Edmond, 531 U.S. 32 (2000)[1], was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States limited the power of law enforcement to conduct suspicionless searches, specifically, using drug-sniffing dogs at roadblocks. Previous Supreme Court decisions had given the police power to create roadblocks for the purposes of border security (United States v. Martinez-Fuerte), and removing drunk drivers from the road (Michigan Dept. of State Police v. Sitz). This decision stated that the power was limited to situations in which the search was "designed to serve special needs, beyond the normal need for law enforcement."
The Court drew a line on check point programs that followed Police v. Sitz (1990) "whose primary purpose" is "to detect evidence of ordinary criminal wrongdoing". The Court refused to "credit the 'general interest in crime control' as justification for a regime of suspicionless stops."
The opinion was delivered by Justice O'Connor, joined by Justices Stevens, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer.
Chief Justice Rehnquist delivered a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Thomas joined, and Justice Scalia joined as to part I.
Justice Thomas also filed a separate dissent.
See also
- List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 531
- List of United States Supreme Court cases
- United States v. Martinez-Fuerte
- Michigan Dept. of State Police v. Sitz
- Illinois v. Lidster
External links
Categories:- United States Supreme Court cases
- United States Fourth Amendment case law
- Government of Indianapolis, Indiana
- Federal court cases involving the State of Indiana
- 2000 in United States case law
- United States Supreme Court stubs
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