Document Type
Article
Publication Date
January 2016
Abstract
What is the constitutional significance of the proverbial "keep off the grass" sign? This question — asked by curmudgeonly neighbors everywhere — has been given new currency in a recent decision by the United States Supreme Court. Indeed, Florida v. Jardines might have bestowed constitutional curmudgeons with significant new Fourth Amendment protections. By expressing expectations regarding — and control over — access to property, "the people" may be able to claim greater Fourth Amendment protections not only for their homes, but also for their persons, papers, and effects. This article launches a constitutionally grounded, but lighthearted campaign of citizen education and empowerment: Fourth Amendment LAWn signs. With every stake in the ground, ordinary citizens can proclaim their expectations and remind everyone that the Fourth Amendment is meant to apply to ordinary people in everyday circumstances.
Recommended Citation
Andrew Ferguson,
LAWn Signs: A Fourth Amendment for Constitutional Curmudgeons,
Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law
(2016).
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/facsch_lawrev/747