October Term 2017 · Docket 15-1485
Did police have probable cause to arrest party guests?
Police arrested guests at a party in a vacant home. The guests claim the officers lacked probable cause.
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
Todd Kim argued the lower courts made two fundamental errors in analyzing probable cause.
Todd Kim stated the lower courts took important facts out of context.
Todd Kim claimed the lower courts used an inappropriate divide-and-conquer analysis.
Todd Kim emphasized that probable cause is a practical standard for officers.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 42-22 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 42-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 12-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 38-46 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 38-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 52-1 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 52-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 38-44 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 38-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 14-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 14-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 54-54 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 54-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-22 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 26-26 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 26-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-34 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 32-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 52-54 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 52-54
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the standard for probable cause. It asks if officers can arrest guests based on a tip about a party in a vacant home.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 42-22 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 42-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-1
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 4, 2017.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 12-22
What each side wants
The District of Columbia wants the arrests upheld as lawful.
The guests want the arrests declared unlawful and their claims preserved.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 42-22 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 42-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-1
What each side says
The District argues the lower courts improperly isolated facts to deny probable cause.
The guests argue the officers lacked probable cause because the host confirmed their presence.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 42-22 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 42-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-1
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked how many people were in the home.
Justice Sotomayor asked if the guests needed to prove their right to be there.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 38-46 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 38-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 52-1 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 52-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 38-44 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 38-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 14-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 14-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 54-54 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 54-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-22 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 26-26 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 26-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-34 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 32-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 52-54 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 52-54
Why it matters
This case defines the practical limits of police authority during arrests. It clarifies how courts evaluate probable cause in ambiguous situations.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 42-22 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 42-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-1
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 4, lines 12-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 12-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 38-46 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 38-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 52-1 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 52-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 38-44 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 38-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 14-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 14-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 32-48 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 32-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 54-54 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 54-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 20-22 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 20-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 26-26 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 26-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-34 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 32-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 52-54 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 52-54
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 23, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 42-22 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 42-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 24-36 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 24-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 42-22 — Transcript, file page 33, lines 42-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-1
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.