William Trevor Case v. Montana

The Supreme Court unanimously affirmed Montana’s decision. It said the existing objective-reasonableness test for police entering a home without a warrant to give emergency aid applied here and was met.

Justice Kagan wrote the 9–0 opinion, joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett, and Jackson; Justice Sotomayor concurred.

The Court ruled 9-0. Justice Elena Kagan wrote the opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett, and Jackson; Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a concurrence.

““Brigham City’s objective reasonableness standard for warrantless home entries to render emergency aid applies without further gloss and was satisfied in this case.””

Police and courts must use the objective-reasonableness test when officers enter a home to address an emergency without a warrant. The decision affects residents whose homes are entered and officers responding to suspected emergencies.

Lower courts and law-enforcement agencies will apply this standard in future emergency-aid entry cases. Montana’s judgment remains in place.

The Court unanimously affirmed Montana’s decision. It found that the objective-reasonableness standard for an emergency-aid home entry was satisfied.

Police officers, residents, and state courts are affected. Officers must assess whether an emergency-aid entry is objectively reasonable without a warrant.

Montana’s judgment stays in effect. Lower courts and police agencies will use the Court’s standard in future emergency-aid cases.