Commonwealth Policy Center

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that your home is safe from warrantless searches and seizures by the police. The case involved the confiscation of a man’s guns after a heated conflict between a husband and wife. A lower court previously ruled that police could enter homes under the community caretaking exception. But Justice Thomas noted that while police must carry out their civic tasks, they don’t have an “open-ended license to perform them anywhere.” This is a welcome ruling, not only for gun owners but for all Americans, who are guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which protects our right to “be free from unreasonable governmental intrusion.” Many take this right for granted, but Justice Thomas has once again helped secure one of our most cherished liberties.