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Docket 00-1519
Docket 00-1519

United States v. Arvizu

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Status
Decided
Decision released
Jan 15, 2002

Decision briefing

The case in plain English

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What's this case about?

Did a border agent have reasonable suspicion to believe that Ralph Arvizu was engaged in illegal activity based on a number of factors?

What are the basics?

```json { "summary": "The Supreme Court reviewed whether a Border Patrol agent's stop of a vehicle was constitutional under the Fourth Amendment, specifically examining if the agent had reasonable suspicion based on the totality of the circumstances. The Court unanimously held that while individual factors might seem innocent in isolation, taken together they justified the investigatory stop.", "questionPresented": "Did a border agent have reasonable suspicion to believe that the defendant was engaged in illegal activity based on the totality of the circumstances, justifying a vehicle stop under the Fourth Amendment?" } ```

Where things stand

Timeline

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Case Accepted
Arguments HeardUpcoming
Decision ReleasedJan 15, 2002

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Primary materials

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Opinions

Arvizu
opinionBy Rehnquist, Scalia

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