District of Columbia v. Wesby
The Court Says Partygoers Can Be Arrested for Trespassing Despite Believing They Were Invited
District of Columbia v. Wesby was featured in False Arrest, Supreme Court Debates (December 2017). The following is excerpted from the unanimous opinion written by Justice Thomas, as prepared by the Court Reporter of Decisions. Considering the “totality of the circumstances,” Maryland v. Pringle (2003), the officers made an “entirely reasonable inference” that the partygoers knew they did not have permission to be in the house. Taken together, the condition of the house and the conduct of the partygoers allowed the officers to make several “common-sense conclusions about human behavior.” — Illinois v. Gates (1983). Because most homeowners do not…
