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Virginia v. Moore Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: Police arrested a man for an offense that, under state law, only warranted a summons. The Supreme Court held that because the arrest was based on probable cause, it did not violate the Fourth Amendment, and the evidence found was admissible.
Legal Significance: This case establishes that the Fourth Amendment’s reasonableness standard is independent of state law. An arrest based on probable cause is constitutionally reasonable, even if it violates a state statute that provides greater privacy protections than the Constitution requires.
Virginia v. Moore Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Police officers in Portsmouth, Virginia, stopped David Lee Moore after determining he was driving with a suspended license, a misdemeanor offense. The officers had probable cause for the stop and to believe Moore had committed the offense in their presence. They arrested Moore and, in a subsequent search, discovered crack cocaine and cash. Under Virginia state law, however, driving on a suspended license is not an arrestable offense; officers are required to issue a summons instead, absent certain aggravating circumstances not present here. Thus, the arrest was authorized by probable cause but prohibited by state statute. Moore was charged with a drug felony and filed a motion to suppress the evidence, arguing that the search was the fruit of an unconstitutional arrest. The Virginia Supreme Court agreed, holding that the arrest violated the Fourth Amendment because it was conducted in violation of state law. The U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does an arrest violate the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable seizures when it is based on probable cause but is prohibited by state law?
No. The Court held that an arrest based on probable cause is 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 volup
IRAC Legal Analysis
Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades
IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
Does an arrest violate the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable seizures when it is based on probable cause but is prohibited by state law?
Conclusion
This decision firmly decouples the Fourth Amendment's reasonableness analysis from state statutory 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 nostr
Legal Rule
An arrest is constitutionally reasonable under the Fourth Amendment if the arresting 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 volupta
Legal Analysis
Writing for a unanimous Court, Justice Scalia's analysis proceeded in three main 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 al
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- An arrest based on probable cause is constitutionally reasonable under the