Case v. Montana
Lower Court: Unknown • Last updated: January 14, 2026
Plain-Language Summary
The Supreme Court decided Case v. Montana, a Fourth Amendment case about when police can enter a home without a warrant under the emergency aid exception. Montana officers responded to William Case's home after his ex-girlfriend called 911 to report he was threatening suicide and may have shot himself. Officers knocked and yelled but got no response. They could see an empty gun holster and what looked like a suicide note inside, and ultimately entered the home.
Justice Kagan authored the opinion, applying the standard from Brigham City v. Stuart (2006), which allows warrantless entry when officers have an "objectively reasonable basis for believing" someone inside needs emergency assistance. The case explored how much evidence officers need before entering a home to check on someone's safety.
Why This Matters
This ruling affects the privacy rights of every American in their own home by defining when police can enter without a warrant during a welfare check. It balances the critical need for emergency responders to save lives against the Fourth Amendment's protection of the home, setting important boundaries for law enforcement responses to mental health crises and suicide calls.