Christopher L. Carpenter, Petitioner v. State of Florida, Respondent

Summary

The court quashed the First District's decision and held that the good-faith exception did not save evidence obtained from the warrantless search of Carpenter's cell phone. The officers could not reasonably rely on a nonfinal district-court decision that was certified for review and actively pending before the Florida Supreme Court, because the applicable law was unsettled and suppression would further deterrence. The dissent would have applied the good-faith exception to evidence obtained in reliance on binding appellate precedent.