The California Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a police spotlight on a vehicle does not necessarily constitute detention under the Fourth Amendment.
The court, in a 5-2 decision, held that “a reasonable person would distinguish between a spotlight and red and blue emergency lights in considering whether the person was free to leave or otherwise terminate the encounter,” according to the ruling.
Justice Carol Corrigan authored the opinion, with Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and Justices Leondra Kruger, Martin Jenkins and Patricia Guerrero concurring.
