The Supreme Court should make clear the extent to which the doctrine of hot pursuit applies in cases in which an individual is charged with a minor offense, the justices heard in oral arguments.
Hot pursuit is a legal doctrine that allows police to enter a premises without a warrant when delay “would endanger their lives or the lives of others and lead to the escape of the alleged perpetrator.” The case law about hot pursuit is well-developed for serious criminal offenses but is less than clear about misdemeanors.
