| District of Columbia v. Wesby | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Argued October 4, 2017 Decided January 22, 2018 | |
| Full case name | District of Columbia, et al. v. Theodore Wesby, et al. |
| Docket no. | 15-1485 |
| Citations | 583 U.S. ___ (more) 138 S. Ct. 577; 199 L. Ed. 2d 453 |
| Case history | |
| Prior | Wesby v. District of Columbia, 841 F. Supp. 2d 20 (D.D.C. 2012); affirmed, 765 F.3d 13, 412 U.S. App. D.C. 246 (D.C. Cir. 2014); rehearing en banc denied, 816 F.3d 96, 421 U.S. App. D.C. 391 (D.C. Cir. 2016); cert. granted, 137 S. Ct. 826 (2017). |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Thomas, joined by Roberts, Kennedy, Breyer, Alito, Kagan, Gorsuch |
| Concurrence | Sotomayor (in part) |
| Concurrence | Ginsburg (in judgment) |
District of Columbia v. Wesby, 583 U.S. ___ (2018), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that police officers had probable cause to arrest those attending a party in Washington, D.C.[1]
Facts and procedural history[edit]
In March 2008, police officers in Washington, D.C. were called to a residence due to noise complaints.[2] When asked, guests gave conflicting reasons for why they were in the residence, and the homeowner ultimately indicated he had not given permission for the party and that the party's host, "Peaches", had not yet signed a lease for the residence.[3] Though the 21 attendees were arrested, charges were later dropped.
A jury later awarded those arrested $680,000 in damage, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit determined that the arresting officers did not have immunity from legal repercussions for the arrests.[4][2] The Supreme Court reversed and remanded this decision, and held that the officers had probable cause to arrest the party attendees and were entitled to qualified immunity.[1]
Justice Ginsburg wrote a solo concurrence saying, “The Court’s jurisprudence, I am concerned, sets the balance too heavily in favor of police unaccountability to the detriment of Fourth Amendment protection. … I would leave open, for reexamination in a future case, whether a police officer’s reason for acting, in at least some circumstances, should factor into the Fourth Amendment inquiry.” [5]
See also[edit]
- List of United States Supreme Court cases
- List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 583
- List of United States Supreme Court cases by the Roberts Court
References[edit]
- ^ a b District of Columbia v. Wesby, No. 15-1485, 583 U.S. ___ (2017).
- ^ a b Barnes, Robert (January 22, 2018). "Supreme Court rules for police officers in D.C. house party case that involved mystery hostess called 'Peaches'". Washington Post. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
- ^ "District of Columbia v. Wesby". Oyez. January 22, 2018. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
- ^ Wesby v. District of Columbia, 765 F.3d 13 (D.C. Cir. 2014).
- ^ "Unpacking Ruth Bader Ginsburg's record on race and criminal justice". CNN. September 26, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
External links[edit]
- Text of District of Columbia v. Wesby, 583 U.S. ___ (2018) is available from: Google Scholar Justia Oyez (oral argument audio) Supreme Court (slip opinion)