The US Supreme Court ruled that when a dog alerts during a drug sniff, the government does not have to demonstrate dog’s performance in the field to support the police officer’s finding of probable cause to conduct the search. Florida Supreme Court wanted data showing the dogs “hits and misses” in the field in addition to dog training and certifications and officer training and certifications. The US Supreme Court essentially lowered the standard and is satisfied with the dog’s training and certifications.

The Federal government prosecutes woman who poisons husband’s girlfriend under a terrorism law intended to enforce an international treaty. US Supreme Court will decide if that is a proper use of the treaty. Interestingly the local state prosecutors refused to prosecute. Misuse of federal government authority?

The Florida Supreme Court yesterday found a statue intending to ban loud music in a vehicle unconstitutional. The statute had provided that if music was heard from a distance of 25 feet away, the driver of the car could be pulled over and given a traffic ticket. However, in many situations, the ticket would only be the beginning. After the stop for loud music law enforcement often proceed to conduct unrelated investigations such as the possible presence of drugs/weapons etc. The Court found the statute unconstitutional as a violation of a person’s right to freedom of expression.

President Obama will be presenting a bill on Immigration Reform that could have a major impact on Florida and other parts of the country. * Plan would require businesses to verify new employees in country legally * Could create a guest-worker program for low-wage immigrants * Immigrants seeking legal status would have to pay fines and back-taxes What do you think?

The US Supreme Court is currently considering whether a search warrant is necessary to take a persons blood sample in a DUI case. In Florida, law enforcement can currently (with reasonable force) take blood following an accident where there is serious bodily injury and the officer has probable cause to believe the operator was operating under the influence of alcohol.

The US Supreme Court Monday chose not to get involved with the stem cell debate. They declined to hear a legal challenge to President Obama’s 2009 expanded embryonic stem cell research executive order.

Several states are installing audio recording devices to accompany their video recording on public buses. The systems have the ability to record everything a passenger says and often pair it with the video. Department of Homeland Security is funding one project in San Francisco that costs millons of dollars. Is this an invasion of our right to privacy? Or as Justice Scalia may say, it’s only a privacy right that we are “inventing”.

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