The podcast discusses the nuances of malicious prosecution, the Supreme Court's upcoming case, and how authorities can be protected if at least one charge in an arrest is valid. It explores a case involving felony money laundering charges and the legal complexities of challenging charges in the justice system.
Challenging malicious prosecutions requires proving lack of probable cause for arrest, rooted in Fourth Amendment protection.
Debates arise over suing for malicious prosecution when only some charges lack probable cause, hindering recourse for erroneous prosecutions.
Deep dives
Challenging malicious prosecutions under the Fourth Amendment
The right to challenge malicious prosecutions stems from the Fourth Amendment, which requires probable cause for arrests. This means that law enforcement must have a valid reason for arresting someone and cannot fabricate charges. Lawsuits related to malicious prosecution involve courts assessing if the police and prosecutors acted in good faith and if there was a genuine basis of probable cause. The need for fact-finding in these cases becomes challenging when legal doctrines prevent accessing evidentiary stages.
Debate over mixed valid and invalid charges in malicious prosecution cases
A salient issue in challenging malicious prosecutions is the debate surrounding cases with a mix of valid and invalid charges. Some argue that even if some charges are valid, individuals should be able to sue for malicious prosecution for the invalid ones, highlighting the potential harm incurred during arrests. However, some courts, like the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, have implemented a doctrine that prevents suing if at least one charge in a set was valid, even if other charges lacked probable cause. This approach raises concerns about the ability to seek recourse for clearly erroneous prosecutions.
If an arrest warrant is issued without probable cause that a crime has been committed, the person arrested can sue for “malicious prosecution.” But there's a catch, and the Supreme Court will have to grapple with it this term. Tommy Berry explains.