One of our judges is wanting to buy a good book on search & seizure. Any recommendations? Does TDCAA have a book on the entire topic, because all I saw was one on writing warrants?

There is a separate, excellent book on warrantless searches and seizures.

Hey Jeff,

TDCAA currently has a second edition from 2005 of the Warrantless Search & Seizure book. It covers arrest/detention; searches/seizures; all the exceptions to the warrant requirement for arrest and searches; exclusionary rule; traffic stops; home searches; schools -- pretty much every 4th Amendment (and Texas law interpretation) we could think of.

I'm in the process of updating the book for May 2008 release. I'd still say that the 2005 version is worth reading now -- there have definitely been some caselaw updates, but for someone looking for a broad take on warrantless search & seizure, the 2005 version will be plenty current enough.

In the meantime, our Traffic Stops book is a slimmed-down version of the bigger Warrantless book. It covers all the 4th Amendment law related to the traffic stop context, including the exceptions to the warrants requirement for arrest and search during a traffic stop. The 2008 edition is at the printer right now -- should be ready for sale in two weeks, but available for pre-purchase right now.

Let me know if you have any other questions about TDCAA books or want more info about either of these two. Thanks!

Diane Beckham
TDCAA Senior Staff Counsel