When a Boxed-In Vehicle Is Still a Deadly Threat: Eleventh Circuit Upholds Deputy Shooting
Bolton v. Sheriff of Coweta County, Georgia, No. 23-12752 (11th Cir. May 21, 2026) TL;DR The Eleventh Circuit ruled that Georgia deputies did not use excessive force when one deputy shot a suspect who continued accelerating his SUV after a pursuit and collision with patrol cars. The court held the deputies were entitled to qualified immunity because the suspect’s vehicle still posed an immediate threat, even while partially boxed in. The court also found that the force used t
5 min read
“He Had the Baby in His Arms” — The Ninth Circuit’s New Deadly Force Decision Explained
Fuhr v. City of Seattle, No. 24-5618 (9th Cir. May 7, 2026) TL;DR The Ninth Circuit held that a Seattle SWAT officer who shot and killed a fleeing suspect holding an infant child was entitled to qualified immunity because no clearly established law prohibited the officer’s actions under the specific facts of the case. The court emphasized that the suspect had previously fired a gun in a public park, ignored repeated commands, fled from police for more than thirty minutes whil
5 min read
Bad Search… Still a Good Case: How Inventory Saved the Evidence
United States v. Allen Citation: No. 24-4604 (4th Cir. Apr. 28, 2026) Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit Decision Date: April 28, 2026 TL;DR Holding: Evidence found in Allen’s bags was admissible under the inevitable discovery doctrine because it would have been uncovered during mandatory inventory searches at booking. Why it matters: Even if a search incident to arrest is invalid, evidence can still come in if standardized inventory policies would have uncov
3 min read