Justia Civil Rights Opinion Summaries

A police officer searched a plastic grocery bag that Defendant was holding after he was already handcuffed and seated in the police car. Inside the bag the officer discovered heroin. Defendant was charged with the class C felony of drug possession. Defendant filed a motion to suppress evidence of the heroin, arguing that neither the arrest nor the search of his plastic bag was lawful. The circuit court overruled the motion, and Defendant was convicted. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the circuit court did not abuse its discretion in overruling Defendant’s motion to suppress evidence of the heroin because (1) the arrest of Defendant was lawful; and (2) the search of Defendant’s bag was not a lawful search incident to arrest, but the exclusionary rule did not apply to this case. View "State v. Carrawell" on Justia Law

Appellant filed suit against Robinwood West Community Improvement District, alleging that Robinwood violated the Sunshine Law by not disclosing various public records, including those relating to Robinwood’s settlement of a personal injury lawsuit. Appellant also requested attorney fees and a civil penalty, asserting that Robinwood knowingly and purposely violated the Sunshine Law. The trial court entered judgment in favor of Appellant and ordered Robinwood to disclose the documents regarding the settlement agreement and the sums of money expended on the lawsuit. The court, however, denied Appellant’s request for attorney fees and a civil penalty. The Supreme Court reversed in part, holding that the trial court erred in concluding, as a matter of law, that Robinwood could not have knowingly or purposely violated the Sunshine Law. Remanded. View "Strake v. Robinwood W. Cmty. Improvement Dist." on Justia Law