United States v. Buford
2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 2488
| 6th Cir. | 2011Background
- Traffic stop on May 18, 2008; Buford arrested on probation violation; vehicle searched incident to arrest; recovered loaded Ruger pistol; Buford made a statement about contraband; district court suppressed all evidence due to Gant’s later overruling of pre-Gant law; government appealed; Sixth Circuit reversed and remanded; Buford not final when Gant announced, so retroactivity benefits apply.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the good-faith exception bars suppression despite Gant overruling pre-Gant precedent. | Buford argues suppression required because the search followed pre-Gant law. | Buford contends good-faith exception should apply? (Note: Government argues for good-faith)* | Good-faith exception applies; suppression not warranted. |
| Whether Gant applies retroactively to the instant case. | Buford benefits from retroactive application of Gant. | Government argues retroactivity applies to cases not final at time of Gant. | Yes, Gant applies retroactively; Buford benefits. |
Key Cases Cited
- United States v. Gant, 129 S. Ct. 1710 (Supreme Court 2009) (clarified vehicle search incident to arrest limits (retroactive effect discussed))
- Griffith v. Kentucky, 479 U.S. 314 (Supreme Court 1987) (retroactivity of Supreme Court rules in cases not final)
- United States v. Johnson, 457 U.S. 537 (Supreme Court 1982) (retroactivity and direct review context)
- Herring v. United States, 555 U.S. 135 (Supreme Court 2009) (good-faith exception as deterrence-based remedy)
- United States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897 (Supreme Court 1984) (good-faith reliance on authorities where exclusion may not apply)
- Krull v. United States, 480 U.S. 340 (Supreme Court 1987) (reliance on invalid statute under good-faith)
- Evans v. United States, 514 U.S. 1 (Supreme Court 1995) (reliance on erroneous judicial record has limits)
- Davis v. United States, 598 F.3d 1259 (11th Cir. 2010) (good-faith exception for settled pre-Gant law)
- United States v. McCane, 573 F.3d 1037 (10th Cir. 2009) (good-faith exception when relying on settled circuit precedent)
- United States v. Jackson, 825 F.2d 853 (5th Cir. 1987) (good-faith reliance on circuit precedent overturned later)