Stop and Frisk

This lesson reviews the reasoning and holding of the landmark case of Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1 (1968) and explores the broader issues relating to investigative detentions and limited searches spawned by the Terry decision. The lesson examines when a seizure occurs, when reasonable suspicion to justify a seizure exists, the permissible scope of a Terry seizure, when officers have the authority to frisk, and the permissible scope of a frisk.