Evidence Seized with the Use of Canine Searches: What Every Attorney Should Know (2025 Edition)

Joseph Caleb
Joseph Caleb | CalebAndonian PPLC

Joseph’s civil-litigation work includes representing plaintiffs who have suffered catastrophic personal injury and civil rights violations. Joseph is as an adjunct law school professor at American University, his alma mater, and is also part of the Trial Advocacy Faculty at the Harvard Law School.

Live Video-Broadcast: March 21, 2025

2 hour CLE

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Program Summary

This CLE program is designed for attorneys practicing in state or federal courts who handle cases involving traffic stops and evidence obtained through drug-detection canines. It explores the constitutional issues surrounding pretextual traffic stops, the reliability of canine alerts, and the significant impact these practices have on civil liberties.

Attendees will gain practical strategies for challenging evidence, such as scrutinizing canine training and handler influence, cross-examining law enforcement effectively, and leveraging case law to defend clients.

The program also addresses ethical concerns, emphasizing the need for transparency and fairness in cases involving questionable canine evidence.

This course is co-sponsored with myLawCLE.

Key topics to be discussed:

  • Traffic Stops, Canine Searches, and Constitutional Challenges
    • Traffic Stops and the Fourth Amendment
    • Canine Searches and Key Case Law
    • Reliability Issues with Drug-Detection Canines
  • Practical Strategies for Challenging Canine Evidence
    • Evaluating Evidence in Traffic Stop Cases
    • Challenging Canine Alerts in Court
    • Ethical and Strategic Considerations

Date / Time: March 21, 2025 

  • 1:00 pm – 3:10 pm Eastern
  • 12:00 pm – 2:10 pm Central
  • 11:00 am – 1:10 pm Mountain
  • 10:00 am – 12:10 pm Pacific

Closed-captioning available

Speakers

Joseph Caleb_FedBarJoseph Caleb | CalebAndonian PPLC

Prior to co-founding CalebAndonian, Joseph Caleb honed his litigation skills at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia – often recognized as the leading training ground for trial attorneys in the United States – where he served as lead counsel on over fifty trials against local and federal prosecutors. Joseph then built a highly successful solo practice, which focused on criminal (including juvenile representations) and civil matters in D.C. and Maryland in state and federal court. Joseph’s civil-litigation work includes representing plaintiffs who have suffered catastrophic personal injury and civil rights violations.

In 2018, Joseph was selected by The National Trial Lawyers as a “Top 40 Under 40” lawyer – a distinction extended exclusively to trial lawyers doing civil plaintiff and criminal defense work. The National Trial Lawyers again recognized Joseph’s accomplishments in 2020, this time naming him a Top 10 trial lawyer nationwide in his areas of expertise.

Joseph is as an adjunct law school professor at American University, his alma mater, and is also part of the Trial Advocacy Faculty at the Harvard Law School.

In July 2021, a panel consisting of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Chief Judges of the D.C. District Court, the D.C. Court of Appeals, and the D.C. Superior Court appointed Joseph to serve on the Board of Trustees for the D.C. Public Defender Service.

In 2023, Joseph was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation only Fellowship of exceptional trial lawyers from the United States and Canada who have demonstrated the very highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism, and collegiality.

Agenda

I. Traffic Stops, Canine Searches, and Constitutional Challenges | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

  • Traffic Stops and the Fourth Amendment
    • Legal standards for initiating and conducting traffic stops
    • Pretextual stops and their implications (Whren v. United States)
  • Canine Searches and Key Case Law
    • Analysis of Illinois v. Caballes and Florida v. Harris
    • Balancing law enforcement interests with individual rights
  • Reliability Issues with Drug-Detection Canines
    • Discovery requests – what to ask for
    • Training, certification, and handler influence
    • Addressing false alerts and their impact on probable cause

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

II. Practical Strategies for Challenging Canine Evidence | 2:10pm – 3:10pm

  • Evaluating Evidence in Traffic Stop Cases
    • Investigating the basis for the stop and reviewing video footage
    • Identifying procedural violations and inconsistencies
  • Challenging Canine Alerts in Court
    • AI trained or human trained. Effective cross-examination on canine training and performance
    • Effective cross-examination of law enforcement handlers
    • Using expert witnesses to dispute canine reliability
  • Ethical and Strategic Considerations
    • Ensuring fairness and transparency

Credits

Alaska

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through Alaska’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity.
Alabama

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Arkansas

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Arizona

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

California

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Colorado

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Connecticut

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

District of Columbia

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hours

Delaware

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Florida

Approved via Attorney Submission
2.5 General Hours

Receive CLE credit in Florida via attorney submission.
Georgia

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Hawaii

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Iowa

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Idaho

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Illinois

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Indiana

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Kansas

Pending CLE Approval
2 Substantive

Kentucky

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Louisiana

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Massachusetts

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hours

Maryland

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hours

Maine

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Michigan

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hours

Minnesota

Approved for Self-Study Credits
2 General

Missouri

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Mississippi

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Montana

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

North Carolina

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

North Dakota

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through North Dakota’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity. Section 1, Policy 1.14
Nebraska

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

myLawCLE reports attendance to Nebraska on each attorney’s behalf for all programs. Please do not self-report.
New Hampshire

Approved for CLE Credits
120 General Minutes

As of July 1, 2014, the NHMCLE Board no longer provides pre- or post-approval of courses. Attendees must self-determine whether a program is eligible for credit, and self-report their attendance online at www.nhbar.org, based on qualification provisions of Rule 53.
New Jersey

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through New Jersey’s recognition of multi-jurisdictional reciprocity, except for the courses required under BCLE Reg. 201:2
New Mexico

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Nevada

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

New York

Approved for CLE Credits
2.4 General

Our programs are CLE-eligible through New York’s Approved Jurisdiction Group “B”.
Ohio

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Oklahoma

Pending CLE Approval
2.5 General

Oregon

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Pennsylvania

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Rhode Island

Pending CLE Approval
2.5 General

South Carolina

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

South Dakota

No MCLE Required
2 CLE Hours

Tennessee

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Texas

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Utah

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

Virginia

Not Eligible
2 General Hours

Vermont

Approved for CLE Credits
2 General

Washington

Approved via Attorney Submission
2 Law & Legal Hours

Wisconsin

Pending CLE Approval
2.4 General

West Virginia

Pending CLE Approval
2.4 General

Wyoming

Pending CLE Approval
2 General

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