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California v. Hodari D.

California v. Hodari D. (1991) is a U.S. Supreme Court case that addressed the circumstances under which police can stop and search an individual. The court ruled that a person is not "seized" under the Fourth Amendment until they yield to police authority. In this case, Hodari D. ran away from police, and while doing so, discarded illegal drugs. Since he was not seized when he discarded the drugs, the court held that the evidence could be used against him. This decision clarified how the concept of seizure applies to police encounters and individual rights.

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    California v. Hodari D. is a Supreme Court case from 1991 that addressed the limits of police authority during a stop. In this case, police officers pursued a minor who fled on foot after noticing them. The court ruled that the police did not have the right to seize him until he was physically caught, meaning that the act of running away didn't constitute an illegal seizure. The decision clarified that an individual is not "seized" under the Fourth Amendment until physically restrained by law enforcement, emphasizing the distinction between flight and actual police detention.