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What It Means to Be Arrested on Suspicion of a Crime

What It Means to Be Arrested on Suspicion of a Crime

In Oklahoma, police may arrest someone on suspicion of committing a crime. Arrested on suspicion is different than reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion and probable cause are standards of proof that police must establish before taking certain actions. Arrested on Suspicion Police often use the term “arrested on suspicion” of committing a crime when they have probable cause to arrest someone for doing something criminal. This does not mean the police have proven that the person committed the crime. Nor can police arrest you just for doing something suspicious. When you get arrested, they have to think you violated the law. People may get...

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Police Officers’ Authority to Extend Oklahoma Traffic Stops

Police Officers’ Authority to Extend Oklahoma Traffic Stops

A close look at Oklahoma case law shows that police officers have wide authority to extend traffic stops at will. The leading Court of Criminal Appeals opinion, Seabolt v. State, 152 P.3d 235, 2006 OK CR 50, states that police officers must have reasonable, articulable suspicion to extend a traffic stop beyond the typical formalities. In Seabolt, the court evaluated the particular stop at issue under a totality of the circumstances approach, meaning it looked at everything that happened to determine whether the officer initiating the stop had a reasonable suspicion that a crime had been committed. To the contrary, the...

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