Investigations Case Law: State v. Stevens (Ohio Supreme Court 2023)

This is a case where a woman, Melannis Stevens, appealed a decision that found her guilty of multiple charges, including failure to stop after an accident and tampering with evidence. The case centered on whether or not the police violated her Fourth Amendment rights by using a drone to search her property without a warrant. The court ultimately ruled that the drone use did not violate her rights because the vehicle was not within the curtilage of her home and was therefore subject to the open fields doctrine, where a reasonable expectation of privacy does not exist. Click HERE for ruling.