⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

A foreign police tip leads to a search of a Washington man's home, a federal conviction, and a challenge to the evidence used against him. Investigators linked an internet address reported by foreign police to his home, obtained a search warrant, and seized electronic devices. A jury convicted him of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. Under the Fourth Amendment, a warrant needs probable cause: a fair probability that evidence of a crime will be found in the place searched. His lawyer will argue that the magistrate was given the foreign agency's conclusion without enough explanation of how it obtained the information. You will also hear about a Franks hearing, which tests an allegation that the officer supporting a warrant intentionally or recklessly included a material falsehood. Getting that hearing requires a substantial preliminary showing, not merely suspicion. Finally, a Faretta inquiry checks whether a defendant understands the risks of giving up a lawyer. The defense will argue that the judge did not adequately establish an informed choice to proceed alone.

United States v. Howell (No. 25-5466) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued October 28, 2026.