State of Arkansas v. Jose A. Mancia-Sandoval & Osires Guevara

Summary

The court accepted the State's interlocutory appeal because it presented a recurring legal question concerning whether an officer's subjective motive invalidates an otherwise lawful traffic stop. On the merits, the court held that a pretextual stop supported by probable cause is constitutional regardless of the officers' ulterior motives, reversed the suppression order, and remanded. Hannah, C.J., dissenting, would have dismissed the appeal because the governing law was already settled and the appeal merely demonstrated trial-court error.