Chief's Counsel: Case Law Alert: U.S. Supreme Court Decides Georgia v. Randolph, Holds That Denial of Consent by One Resident Overrides Grant of Consent by Another

Police Chief Magazine|Columns|Chief's Counsel|Chief’s Counsel: Case Law Alert: U.S. Supreme Court Decides Georgia v. Randolph, Holds That Denial of Consent by One Resident Overrides Grant of Consent by Another

Chief’s Counsel: Case Law Alert: U.S. Supreme Court Decides Georgia v. Randolph, Holds That Denial of Consent by One Resident Overrides Grant of Consent by Another

Craig E. Ferrell Jr., Deputy Director and Administrative General Counsel, Houston Police Department

The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Georgia v. Randolph on March 22, 2006, changes the rules governing some consent searches of private premises. Because this decision is contrary to the way many law enforcement officers have been advised and trained, and because of the frequency with which Randolph-type fact patterns occur, it is critical that this new information be disseminated to all law enforcement officers immediately.