Arizona v. Gant
Issue: Whether, under New York v. Belton (1981), police may conduct a warrantless search of a car if its recently arrested occupant poses no threat to officer safety or preservation of evidence.
Judgment: Affirmed, 5-4, in an opinion by Justice John Paul Stevens on April 21, 2009.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Analysis: Did Heller say too much? (Lyle Denniston, July 29, 2009)
- Where Would Justice Souter’s Replacement Make a Difference? Part II (Kevin Russell, May 29, 2009)
- Where Would Justice Souter’s Replacement Make A Difference? Part I (Kevin Russell, May 27, 2009)
- Analysis: Oral Arguments in Herring v. United States and Arizona v. Gant (Kevin Russell, October 8, 2008)
- SCOTUSwiki Preview: Arizona v. Gant (Eliza Presson, July 11, 2008)
- Court adds three new cases (Lyle Denniston, February 25, 2008)
Briefs and Documents
Merit briefs
Amicus briefs
- Brief for the Los Angeles County District Attorney on Behalf of Los Angeles County in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the United States in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for Florida, Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin And Wyoming in Support of Petitioner
- Motion for Leave to File Amicus Curiae Brief and Brief for the National Association of Police Organizations, Inc., in Support of Petitioner
- Motion for Leave to File Amicus Curiae Brief and Brief for the Americans for Effective Law Enforcement, Inc., The International Association of Chiefs of Police, The National Sheriffs’ Association, The Arizona Law Enforcement Legal Advisors’ Association, and The Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police in Support of Petitioner
- Brief for the the ACLU and the ACLU of Arizona in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the the National Association of Federal Defenders in Support of Respondent
Certiorari-stage documents
