No. 25-6242

Willie Frank Gordon v. United States

Lower Court: Eleventh Circuit
Docketed: 2025-11-25
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: fourth-amendment inventory-search investigative-search law-enforcement-procedure probable-cause vehicle-seizure
Latest Conference: 2026-01-09
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. Sheriff's deputies suspected a driver had drugs, stopped him, and wanted to search his car to find them. Only when their attempt to establish probable cause for the search failed did they decide to impound the car. Does the Fourth Amendment forbid an impound (and resulting inventory search) primarily motivated by an investigative purpose?

2. Although a sheriff's policy did not authorize deputies to impound a car from private property, the deputies did so purportedly to protect it from vandalism and theft. Does the Fourth Amendment forbid the impound and the resulting inventory search?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Fourth Amendment permits an impound and inventory search primarily motivated by investigative purposes and purportedly justified by protection from vandalism and theft

Docket Entries

2026-01-12
Petition DENIED.
2025-12-24
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
2025-12-18
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2025-11-18
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due December 26, 2025)

Attorneys

United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
Willie Gordon
Benjamin James StevensonStevenson Legal, PLLC, Petitioner