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LEGAL

RESEARCH

Connelly v. Georgia

Facts

Under Georgia law, Justices of the Peace were authorized to issue search warrants, obtaining fees for this service. A Georgia Justice of the Peace issued the search warrant used to search the defendantโ€™s house. The defendant was convicted for possession of marihuana. The defendant questioned the constitutional fairness of a system authorizing the issuance of search warrants by interested financial parties.

Issue

Whether the pecuniary interests of an issuing magistrate violate the defendantโ€™s protection afforded him by the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments?

Held

Yes. Issuing magistrates must be neutral and detached.

Discussion

The justice who issued the warrant was not a โ€œneutral and detached magistrateโ€ because he had a financial interest in issuing the warrant. Georgia Justices of the Peace at that time were not salaried. Their compensation was solely based upon how many warrants they issue within a year. This pecuniary interest in issuing search warrants destroyed their neutrality

Citation

429 U.S. 245, 97 S. Ct. 546 (1977)

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