October Term 2010 · Docket 09-11556
Can police use DMV records found during an illegal traffic stop?
New York wants to use driver records found during a stop. The driver wants those records thrown out.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Justice Alito questioned if the officer's observation of the driving was the real problem.
Justice Kennedy asked what happens under the driver's view after the stop ends.
Justice Scalia asked if the driver requested suppression of the fruit of the stop.
Justice Ginsburg asked if any case suppressed information lawfully in government possession.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 13-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-39
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the reach of the exclusionary rule. It asks if police must discard lawful records found during an illegal stop.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 13-37
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 21, 2011.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
What each side wants
New York wants to use the DMV records to prove the driver had a suspended license.
The driver wants the court to throw out the DMV records because the stop was illegal.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 13-37
What each side says
New York argues the records were lawfully in state possession before the stop occurred.
The driver argues the stop violated the Fourth Amendment, so all resulting evidence is tainted.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 13-37
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if the real issue is the officer's observation of the driving.
Justice Kennedy asked what happens under the driver's view after the stop ends.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-39
Why it matters
This dispute defines the limits of the exclusionary rule. It determines whether lawful records survive an illegal police stop. The outcome shapes future traffic stop investigations nationwide.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 13-37
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-39
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 13-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 15-45 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 15-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 13-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 13-37
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.