State of Nebraska, ) Case No. [CASE NO.]
)
Plaintiff, )
)
v. ) DEFENDANT’S MOTION
) TO SUPPRESS EVIDENCE
[DEFENDANT NAME], )
)
Defendant. )
______ )
[DATE]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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I. Preliminary Statement..............................................2
II. Procedural Posture & Request for Hearing...........................2
III. Statement of Relevant Facts........................................3
IV. Grounds for Suppression............................................5
A. Unlawful Search & Seizure (Fourth Amendment /
Nebraska Constitution)..........................................5
B. Invalid/Warrantless Arrest......................................6
C. Miranda / Custodial Interrogation Issues........................7
D. Fruits-of-the-Poisonous-Tree Doctrine...........................8
E. Lack of Good-Faith Reliance.....................................9
V. Burden of Proof & Standard of Review..............................10
VI. Prayer for Relief.................................................11
VII. Reservation of Rights............................................12
VIII. Verification.....................................................12
IX. Certificate of Service...........................................13
Proposed Order (Exhibit A)..............................................14
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I. PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
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COMES NOW the Defendant, [DEFENDANT NAME] (“Defendant”), by and through
undersigned counsel, and respectfully moves this Honorable Court,
pursuant to U.S. Const. amend. IV, Neb. Const. art. I, § 7, and all
other applicable law, to suppress the physical, testimonial, and
derivative evidence described herein. In support thereof, Defendant
states as follows:
[// GUIDANCE: List every item of evidence you seek to suppress
separately (e.g., “all narcotics, photographs, statements, and digital
data seized on [DATE]”).]
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II. PROCEDURAL POSTURE & REQUEST FOR HEARING
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1. Defendant was charged by [Complaint/Information] filed on
[FILING DATE].
-
Pursuant to [LOCAL RULE] and Neb. R. Crim. P. 6-[LOCAL RULE
NUMBER], this Motion is timely filed within the period prescribed
for pre-trial motions. -
Defendant respectfully requests an evidentiary hearing at which the
State shall bear the burden of proving the lawfulness of the search,
seizure, arrest, and interrogation beyond a mere showing of good
faith.
[// GUIDANCE: Insert the specific court rule or scheduling order
deadline that governs filing of suppression motions in your judicial
district.]
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III. STATEMENT OF RELEVANT FACTS
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4. On [DATE] at approximately [TIME], officers of the
[LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCY] entered [LOCATION] and conducted
[DESCRIPTION OF SEARCH/SEIZURE].
-
The officers lacked a warrant at the time of entry.
—OR—
Officers obtained Warrant No. [WARRANT #] issued by [JUDGE] at
[TIME], based on an affidavit by [AFFIANT] containing the assertions
summarized below. -
[Provide concise chronology of events: detention, questioning,
seizure of items, statements made, etc.] -
No Miranda warnings were provided until [TIME/LATER], after
Defendant had already given statements and consent allegedly
obtained by officers.
[// GUIDANCE: Lay out facts neutrally but with enough specificity to let
the court see exactly when constitutional protections attached.]
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IV. GROUNDS FOR SUPPRESSION
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A. Unlawful Search & Seizure
-
The warrantless entry violated the Fourth Amendment and Neb.
Const. art. I, § 7 because no recognized exception (e.g., consent,
exigency, plain view) applied. -
Alternatively, if the State relies on the warrant dated [DATE], the
affidavit lacked probable cause because:
a. It relied on conclusory statements without factual nexus;
b. Material information was omitted and/or false;
c. The place to be searched and items to be seized were described
with insufficient particularity.
B. Invalid/Warrantless Arrest
- Defendant’s arrest occurred absent probable cause where officers
lacked articulable facts connecting Defendant to any crime.
C. Miranda / Custodial Interrogation Issues
- Any statements obtained before issuance of Miranda warnings must be
suppressed. Post-warning statements constitute fruit of the initial
illegality and were not the product of a knowing, intelligent, and
voluntary waiver.
D. Fruits-of-the-Poisonous-Tree
- All evidence derived—directly or indirectly—from the unlawful
search, seizure, or interrogation is tainted and inadmissible.
E. Lack of Good-Faith Reliance
- The State cannot invoke any good-faith exception because no
objectively reasonable officer could believe the search or seizure
was lawful under the circumstances described.
[// GUIDANCE: Insert any Nebraska-specific statutory rule on motions to
suppress here—e.g., Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 29-822 et seq.—after verifying
accuracy.]
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V. BURDEN OF PROOF & STANDARD OF REVIEW
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14. Once the defendant challenges the legality of a search or seizure,
the prosecution bears the burden of proving the challenged conduct
was constitutionally valid.
- Suppression is mandatory where the State fails to meet this burden;
doubts must be resolved in favor of the constitutional preference
for warrants.
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VI. PRAYER FOR RELIEF
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WHEREFORE, Defendant respectfully prays that this Court:
A. Conduct an evidentiary hearing on this Motion;
B. Suppress all physical evidence, statements, identifications, and
derivative evidence obtained on [DATE] or thereafter;
C. Order the State to refrain from any mention or introduction of such
evidence before the jury; and
D. Grant such other and further relief as the Court deems just and
proper.
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VII. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
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16. Defendant reserves all rights to file additional motions, including
motions in limine, and to supplement or amend this Motion should new
facts or legal grounds arise.
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VIII. VERIFICATION
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I, [ATTORNEY NAME], counsel for Defendant, hereby certify that the
foregoing statements of fact are true and correct to the best of my
knowledge, information, and belief, formed after reasonable inquiry.
/s/ [ATTORNEY NAME]
[LAW FIRM]
[ADDRESS]
[PHONE]
[EMAIL]
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IX. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
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I hereby certify that on the ___ day of ____, 20__, I served a
true and correct copy of the foregoing Motion to Suppress Evidence upon
the [County Attorney/Prosecuting Attorney] by:
☐ Hand Delivery
☐ U.S. Mail, postage prepaid
☐ E-Filing System
/s/ [ATTORNEY NAME]
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EXHIBIT A – PROPOSED ORDER
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(Draft only; court may modify.)
IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF [COUNTY] COUNTY, NEBRASKA
State of Nebraska v. [DEFENDANT NAME]
Case No. [CASE NO.]
ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SUPPRESS
Upon consideration of Defendant’s Motion, the evidence adduced, and
arguments of counsel, the Court finds that the search, seizure, and/or
interrogation at issue violated Defendant’s constitutional rights and
that no good-faith exception applies. Accordingly,
IT IS ORDERED that all evidence listed in ¶ [NUMBER] of Defendant’s
Motion, and any fruits thereof, are hereby SUPPRESSED and shall not be
introduced at trial or any other proceeding.
SO ORDERED this ___ day of ____, 20__.
Judge of the District Court
[COUNTY] County, Nebraska
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[END OF DOCUMENT – PLACEHOLDER]
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[// GUIDANCE:
1. Verify local procedural rules for format, timing, and page limits.
2. Confirm the accuracy of any Nebraska statutory citations before
filing.
3. Attach supporting exhibits (warrant, affidavit, transcripts,
body-camera footage logs) as separate labeled exhibits.
4. Consider filing a separate brief if complex constitutional issues
require expanded argument.
5. Adapt Verification section if client—not counsel—must verify facts
in your jurisdiction.
]