

Bad Miranda, Good Case: How Three Controlled Buys Saved the Warrant
United States v. Weaver (5th Cir. 2026) TL;DR The Fifth Circuit reversed suppression of evidence from a search warrant supported by controlled buys, holding the affidavit was not “bare bones” and officers relied on it in good faith. The court also held that although the suspect’s written Miranda waiver was invalid due to deception , the district court failed to analyze whether the suspect implicitly waived his rights —so the case was remanded. Why it matters: Controlled buy
4 min read


Zorn v. Linton (2026): Wristlocks, Protesters, and the “Clearly Established” Trap
Citation: Zorn v. Linton , 607 U.S. ___ (2026) Court: United States Supreme Court Decision Date: March 23, 2026 TL;DR Holding: Officer entitled to qualified immunity; no clearly established law prohibited using a wristlock to lift a noncompliant protester after warnings. Why it matters: Reinforces that excessive force claims fail unless prior case law matches the specific facts closely. Key limit: The Court did not say the force was constitutional—only that it wasn’t
3 min read


