As many people know, the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects you and your property against unreasonable searches and seizures by the police. However, not many people know how this nearly 200-year-old amendment protects their modern smartphones.
When can the police search through your cellphone?
Can DEA agents search people on Amtrak?
The next time you ride Amtrak, you may encounter an agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration asking you to allow a search of your belongings. Don't consent -- especially if you have something to hide.
What happens if I get arrested at the Iowa State Fair?
Well over 1 million excited people cross through the gates of the Iowa State Fair every August. It's a time to celebrate the state's culture, get some delicious food and drink and check out the variety of entertainment.
Can police search someone's backyard without a warrant?
The 4th Amendment protects you from "unreasonable searches and seizures" by the government. Generally, this means police must have a warrant or probable cause to search you or your property.
Research: It's easier than you think for cops to get your consent
Would you let a stranger in a lab coat search through your phone? What about a police officer? How about if you had a good reason to refuse, such as evidence of a crime?
Study of 100 mln traffic stops finds pervasive racial disparities
"Driving while black" isn't a real crime, but it might as well be. African-Americans and people of color persistently report being stopped, searched, cited and even arrested for traffic offenses in situations where white people probably wouldn't be. Yet people of color don't break the law at a higher rate than whites. If anything, a recent study found, whites are more likely to do so.
Iowa Supreme Court: DOT officers can't write traffic tickets
Imagine you're headed down the highway and are signaled to pull over by an official state vehicle. It's the Iowa Department of Transportation, and they say they spotted a traffic violation you committed a couple of miles back. They issue you a $150 ticket.
Iowa Supreme Court to decide legality of pretextual traffic stops
When an African-American woman from Waterloo named Scottize Brown was pulled over in 2015, it had little to do with her behavior. The officer who pulled her over had run the license plate on the vehicle she was driving and learned that the owner had alleged gang affiliations.
How private is a student's locker?
Heading back to school brings a few familiar rituals, which can include shopping for school clothes, school supplies and getting a new school locker and combination.
Are the Des Moines police engaging in racial profiling?
The dashcam video of a Des Moines police stop involving two African-American men, Montray Little and Jared Clinton, has been viewed over 9 million times.
