No. 19-1301October Term 2019Decided Oct 19, 2020
Bovat v. Vermont
This case asks whether police violated the Fourth Amendment by going into semiprivate areas around Clyde Bovat’s home and looking around without a warrant during an investigation.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Oct 19, 2020
- What it's about
This case asks whether police violated the Fourth Amendment by going into semiprivate areas around Clyde Bovat’s home and looking around without a warrant during an investigation. The Vermont Supreme Court upheld the officers’ initial entry and search, relying in part on the idea that what they observed was in plain view.
Question presented
Does the Fourth Amendment require the suppression of incriminating evidence an officer observed in plain view while taking a reasonable route from the defendant’s parking area to the defendant’s front door?
- Case path
Supreme Court of Vermont / Decision released Oct 19, 2020
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Timing
Decided October 19, 2020
The Court released its decision on October 19, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology