I’ve finally crawled out of that rock I’ve been living under! Since Friday, I’ve been working on a 25 page appellate legal brief practically non-stop. Interested in what my brief was about? Here’s a quick, brief, and simplified synopsis:
When police are searching a place according to a warrant, they cannot just search and seize anything they want–they are limited to anywhere the evidence (of the crime to which they seek) could reasonably be located. BUT if they see something in plain view which is immediately incriminating (like drugs, restricted weapons, stacks of laundered money, etc.), then police can take those items. This is called the plain view doctrine.
So what happens when you have a computer search? Let’s say police are searching your computer for evidence of X crime and while they are looking through the files, they see possible evidence for Y crime?
My job with my legal brief was to argue that police should be able to use evidence that they found on the computer to prove Y crime, when they were searching the computer for evidence of X crime.
Sounds like fun right? Ha, I’m sure I’ve bored you all to sleep now. But if you’re really interested, I’ll send you a copy of my brief. Insomniacs, I guarantee that it will put you all to sleep 
Since I’ve had this plain view doctrine on the brain lately, I couldn’t help but notice some things in my plain view today.
Things like this kitten laying right next to me on the couch…
Or It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on TV…
And this Sweet Dumpling squash which was begging to be eaten 
Which I stuffed with some Israeli cous cous and feta cheese and then seasoned with some salt and pepper!
I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t like this squash, since I’ve never had it before. In fact, other than loving butternut squash ravioli and pumpkin pie, I don’t really like squash at all. Or maybe I should change that last sentence to past tense, because I really liked this meal! The feta added a nice saltiness to balance the sweetness of the Sweet Dumpling squash.
You know what also is in plain view? My never ending to do list…
Yeah maybe I’ll just close that window
What fun, interesting, exciting, or noteworthy things have you seen in plain view lately?
