Good Faith Exception Case Study

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Pages: 3

Course Project Part 2
Good Faith Exception
United States v. Leon
1) Summarize the facts of the case

This case is revolved around a confidential informant providing information about a potential drug trafficking investigation. This investigation was initiated by the Burbank Police Department in California. Officer Rombach prepared the application for a warrant to search three residences along with respondent’s vehicles. They were searching for large amounts of drugs and other evidence. The search warrant was signed by a state court judge. The respondents filed motions to suppress the evidence seized. The District Court granted motions in part, concluding the affidavit was insufficient to establish probable cause. The courts recognized that Officer Rombach acted in good faith, however the court rejected the Governments suggestion that the 4th Amendment Exclusionary Rule should apply. During the investigation, officers observed instances of suspicious drug activity at the residences in question. The Court of Appeals concluded that the informant’s credibility was failed to be established, and the information provided was inadequate under both prongs of the two-part test.

2) Explain the issues before the court

Officer Rombach’s affidavit could not establish probable cause to search the Price Drive residence. The District Court suppressed the fruits
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The Reviewing Courts will not defer to a warrant based on an affidavit that does not provide the magistrate with a substantial basis for determining the existence of probable cause. The purpose of the Exclusionary Rule is to deter unlawful police conduct, evidence obtained from the search should only be suppressed if officer knowingly or willingly had knowledge of misconduct of the 4th Amendment. The courts believed the officer acted in good faith, and obtained a search warrant from judge and acted within