When Do The Cops Have Probable Cause, And Why It Matters

A single question can make or break a criminal case. In this courtroom moment, Judge Fleischer zeroes in on probable cause — specifically whether law enforcement had legal justification to search someone based solely on suspicion, without direct observation or corroboration. Probable cause requires specific, articulable facts — not assumptions, not hunches, and not “someone thought it was him.” When those facts aren’t there, the Constitution steps in. Judge Fleischer finds NO PROBABLE CAUSE, sto