

Furtive Movements Aren’t Magic Words: United States v. Erving and Protective Vehicle Searches
United States v. Erving Nos. 23-2828 & 23-2831 (7th Cir. Jan. 20, 2026) TL;DR The Seventh Circuit upheld a vehicle protective search under Michigan v. Long where a lone officer, late at night, observed furtive movements suggesting concealment, smelled burnt cannabis, learned the driver was on supervised release for a weapons offense, and reasonably believed the suspect could soon regain access to the vehicle. The court reaffirmed that reasonable suspicion—not probable cause
3 min read


Save a Life, Skip the Warrant: SCOTUS Backs Emergency Entry
Title & Citation Case v. Montana , 607 U.S. ___ (2026) (U.S. Supreme Court, Jan. 14, 2026). TL;DR Police can enter a home without a warrant to render emergency aid when they have an objectively reasonable basis to believe someone inside is seriously injured or imminently threatened with serious injury —and the Court refused to “upgrade” that standard into probable cause just because the entry is into a home. Here, the officers reasonably believed Case had shot himself or
4 min read


