Lange v. California
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in Lange v. California and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of Lange v. California.
In Lange v. California, the Supreme Court addressed the issue of warrantless home entry by police officers pursuing a misdemeanor suspect. The Court vacated and remanded the lower court's decision, emphasizing that such entries are not categorically justified under the Fourth Amendment. Instead, a case-by-case assessment of exigency is required.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in Lange v. California.
The Court held that pursuit of a fleeing misdemeanor suspect does not always justify a warrantless entry into a home under the Fourth Amendment.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in Lange v. California. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why Search and Seizure is relevant to Lange v. California
The case directly addresses the Fourth Amendment's limits on warrantless home entry by police officers.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Under the Fourth Amendment, pursuit of a fleeing misdemeanor suspect does not always—that is, categorically—justify a warrantless entry into a home.
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Why Procedural Due Process is relevant to Lange v. California
The case involves the requirement of obtaining a warrant before entering a home, which is a procedural protection under the Fourth Amendment.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The Fourth Amendment ordinarily requires that a law enforcement officer obtain a judicial warrant before entering a home without permission.
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Why State–Federal Power is relevant to Lange v. California
The case discusses the balance of authority between state law enforcement practices and federal constitutional protections.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The common law in place at the Constitution's founding similarly does not support a categorical rule allowing warrantless home entry whenever a misdemeanant flees.
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in Lange v. California that support the summary and concepts above.
Under the Fourth Amendment, pursuit of a fleeing misdemeanor suspect does not always—that is, categorically—justify a warrantless entry into a home.
The Court's Fourth Amendment precedents counsel in favor of a case-by-case assessment of exigency.
Misdemeanors run the gamut of seriousness, and they may be minor.
