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Koepnick v. Sears Roebuck & Co. Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: A customer sued a store for false arrest after being detained for suspected shoplifting. The court held that while the store had reasonable cause to detain him as a matter of law, a jury could still find the manner of the detention unreasonable, warranting a new trial.
Legal Significance: This case clarifies the application of the shopkeeper’s privilege, bifurcating the analysis: “reasonable cause” is often a question of law for the court, while the reasonableness of the detention’s “time and manner” are questions of fact for the jury.
Koepnick v. Sears Roebuck & Co. Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
A Sears security guard, Lessard, was informed by a sales clerk who believed plaintiff Max Koepnick had shoplifted a wrench. Lessard confirmed that other on-duty clerks had not sold Koepnick a wrench. Lessard and another guard stopped Koepnick in the store’s parking lot and detained him. After approximately 15 minutes, Mesa police arrived. An altercation ensued between Koepnick and an officer. A subsequent investigation revealed Koepnick had a valid receipt for the wrench. At the suggestion of the Sears guard, police searched Koepnick’s truck, which was in the parking lot. The entire detention lasted about 45 minutes. Koepnick sued Sears for false arrest and trespass to chattel. A jury found for Koepnick, awarding compensatory and punitive damages on both claims. The trial court granted Sears’ motion for a new trial on the false arrest claim, finding it had erred by submitting the issue of reasonable cause to the jury. The court also granted Sears’ motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV) on the trespass to chattel claim. Both parties appealed.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Under the shopkeeper’s privilege, can a merchant have reasonable cause to detain a suspect as a matter of law, while the reasonableness of the manner and time of that detention remains a question of fact for the jury?
Yes. The court affirmed the new trial on the false arrest claim Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
IRAC Legal Analysis
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Legal Issue
Under the shopkeeper’s privilege, can a merchant have reasonable cause to detain a suspect as a matter of law, while the reasonableness of the manner and time of that detention remains a question of fact for the jury?
Conclusion
This case establishes that under the shopkeeper's privilege, the court determines the Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolor
Legal Rule
A merchant has a privilege to detain a person for suspected shoplifting Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim
Legal Analysis
The court's analysis bifurcated the elements of the shopkeeper's privilege defense under Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis au
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- The merchant’s privilege allows detention of a suspected shoplifter based on