Unreasonable Expectations: Week Ending: July 27, 2026

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This week's federal circuit decisions redrawing the boundaries of the Fourth Amendment (and the constitutional issues around it) for criminal defense practitioners. Seven decisions, in order: Jones v. City of St. Louis (8th Cir., 7/27/26): Section 1983 excessive-force claims by four pretrial detainees, and the court's case-by-case qualified-immunity analysis. Horocofsky v. City of Lawrence (10th Cir., 7/24/26): Denial of leave to amend affirmed on Rule 16 procedural grounds. United States v. Williams (6th Cir., 7/24/26): How an unconditional guilty plea waives your pretrial suppression motions. No Fourth Amendment ruling on the merits. Carrin v. Strong (11th Cir., 7/23/26): Whether Bivens…