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William J. Cost, et al. v. Borough of Dickson City, Pennsylvania, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, No. 20-3120 · judgment June 3, 2021


Certiorari denied · November 8, 2021
Pre-decision estimate: 6% cert probability (95% interval 4%–9%)

Before the decision, modestly above the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for a Third Circuit decision below, a circuit split argued in the petition, and a petition filed soon after the judgment below, and down for a state or local-government respondent.

Question presented

Whether the court of appeals erred when it held exigent circumstances existed based solely on a 911 call about a domestic disturbance from a disgruntled neighbor that resulted in Respondents kicking down the door to the family home and entering without a warrant when no noise was heard at the doorstep and there were no occupants who needed emergency assistance inside?

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Cynthia L. Pollick
The Employment Law Firm

For respondent
Patrick Joseph Murphy
Bardsley, Benedict + Cholden, LLP

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Proceedings

  1. Nov 08 2021
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Oct 20 2021
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/5/2021.
  3. Sep 30 2021
    Brief of respondents Borough of Dickson City, et al. in opposition filed.
  4. Aug 31 2021
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due October 4, 2021)