Utah v. Strieff
| Docket No. | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-1373 | Feb 22, 2016 | Apr 28, 2025 | 5-3 | Thomas | OT 2015 |
Holding: When there was no flagrant police misconduct and a police officer discovered a valid, pre-existing, and untainted warrant for an individual"s arrest, evidence seized pursuant to that arrest is admissible even when the police officer"s stop of the individual was unconstitutional, because the discovery of the warrant attenuated the connection between the stop and the evidence.
Judgment: Reversed, 5-3, in an opinion by Justice Thomas on April 28, 2025. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Ginsburg joined as to Parts I, II, and III. Justice Kagan filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Ginsburg joined.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: The exclusionary rule is weakened but it still lives (Orin Kerr, June 21, 2016)
- A view from the Courtroom: Vehicle problems (Mark Walsh, June 20, 2016)
- Argument analysis: Court closely divided on the exclusionary rule (Orin Kerr, February 22, 2016)
- Argument preview: Utah v. Strieff and the future of the exclusionary rule (Orin Kerr, February 3, 2016)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 03/31/2015 | Application (14A1025) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from April 16, 2015 to May 18, 2015, submitted to Justice Sotomayor. |
| 04/06/2015 | Application (14A1025) granted by Justice Sotomayor extending the time to file until May 18, 2015. |
| 05/15/2015 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due June 18, 2015) |
| 06/11/2015 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including July 20, 2015. |
| 06/18/2015 | Brief amici curiae of Michigan, and Ten Other States filed. |
| 06/30/2015 | Brief of respondent Edward Joseph Strieff, Jr. in opposition filed. |
| 07/14/2015 | Reply of petitioner Utah filed. (Distributed) |
| 07/15/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 28, 2015. |
| 10/01/2015 | Petition GRANTED. |
| 11/06/2015 | The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including December 4, 2015. |
| 11/06/2015 | The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including January 22, 2016. |
| 11/06/2015 | Petitioner will file a reply brief on the merits on or before February 9, 2016. |
| 12/04/2015 | Brief of petitioner Utah filed. |
| 12/04/2015 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed) |
| 12/11/2015 | Brief amicus curiae of the United States filed. |
| 12/11/2015 | Brief amicus curiae of Criminal Justice Legal Foundation filed. |
| 12/11/2015 | Brief amici curiae of Michigan, and Twenty-Nine Other States filed. |
| 12/23/2015 | SET FOR ARGUMENT on Monday, February 22, 2016. |
| 01/04/2016 | Record requested from the Supreme Court of Utah. |
| 01/12/2016 | Record received from the Supreme Court of Utah, the record is electronic. |
| 01/15/2016 | CIRCULATED |
| 01/21/2016 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. |
| 01/22/2016 | Brief of respondent Edward Joseph Strieff, Jr. filed. (Distributed) |
| 01/29/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), and Twenty-One Technical Experts and Legal Scholars filed. (Distributed) |
| 01/29/2016 | Brief amici curiae of American Civil Liberties Union, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 01/29/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Tracy E. Labrusciano, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/09/2016 | Reply of petitioner Utah filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/18/2016 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. |
| 02/22/2016 | Argued. For petitioner: Tyler R. Green, Solicitor General, Salt Lake City, Utah; and John F. Bash, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) For respondent: Joan C. Watt, Salt Lake City, Utah. |
| 06/20/2016 | Judgment REVERSED. Thomas, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kennedy, Breyer, and Alito, JJ., joined. Sotomayor, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Ginsburg, J., joined as to Parts I, II, and III. Kagan, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Ginsburg, J., joined. |
| 07/22/2016 | MANDATE ISSUED |
| 07/22/2016 | JUDGMENT ISSUED |