TX14: Dog nose crossed the threshold – unreasonable

By |2025-01-29T00:28:19+00:00August 27th, 2024|Narcotics Detection, State Court, Texas, Vehicle Sniffs|0 Comments

State v. Organ, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 6279 (Tex. App. – Houston (14th Dist.) Aug. 27, 2024).   Case Analysis: State of Texas v. Courtney James-Varnell Organ Introduction The case of State of Texas v. Courtney James-Varnell Organ serves as a pivotal moment in the ongoing interpretation of Fourth Amendment protections, particularly regarding the role of K9 units in vehicle searches. This case addresses a critical question: Does the intrusion of a narcotics dog into a vehicle’s interior constitute an unconstitutional search? The decision by the Fourteenth Court of Appeals, Texas, clarifies the boundaries of lawful searches and highlights the [...]