R. Shepard

Under Indiana’s Red Flag Law, when a law enforcement officer seizes a firearm from an individual whom the law enforcement officer believes to be dangerous without first obtaining a warrant, the officer must submit an affidavit to a court describing why the officer believes the individual is dangerous. If the court finds probable cause exists to believe the individual is dangerous, the court shall order the law enforcement agency to retain the firearm. To sustain the dangerousness finding, the State must prove, at a hearing, by clear and convincing evidence material facts demonstrating the individual is dangerous.

In distinguishing between the odor of marijuana and hemp for purposes of determining whether there was probable cause to search a vehicle, courts apply the “fair probability” test. Although it may equally possible that a strong odor emanating from a vehicle may be hemp just as marijuana, circumstances may create a fair probability—that is, “a substantial chance”—that the vehicle contains contraband.

A handgun equipped with a switch device may constitute the offense of possession of a machine gun if the gun shoots; or can be readily restored to shoot; automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger as defined by Indiana Code § 35-31.5-2-190.