I am attaching an article describing the ill-conceived decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to reduce the powers of the Constitutional Sheriffs in that State with respect to powers of arrest to nothing more than that of the ordinary citizen. The opinion unconstitutionally usurps the elective franchise of the citizens to vote for who they wish to serve as the Cheif Law Enforcement Officer of their respective counties on their behalf. The underlying premise of the Court, that the state’s legislature can remove the Sheriff’s authority, or, rather, dictate what the Sheriff can and cannot do in the way of law enforcement is constitutional error.
Top Pa. court prohibits sheriffs to run DUI checkpoints
I am also including the opinion here. Marconi v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
As some of you have asked what legal authority supports the view that state legislatures may not usurp a Sheriff’s common-law, indeed constitutional powers and duties, see my short exposition on the subject, which was written after many years of studying this issue:
vitae-republicae1
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Published by Carson J Tucker, JD MSEL
Owner of law firm since July 2014; Handles all types of appellate matters and assists other lawyers with complex litigation and insurance coverage issues; Admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and the State Bar of Michigan; Expertise in prosecuting and defending appeals with several significant successes in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Michigan Supreme Court and the Michigan Court of Appeals; Author of briefs amicus curiae in the Michigan Supreme Court for the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel and the Insurance Institute of Michigan; Represents Insurance Companies, Major International Business, Governmental Entities, Law Enforcement Officers and County Sheriffs.
Board of Directors, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel
Amicus Committee Co-Chair, Michigan Defense Trial Counsel
Military - Retired Major in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps of the United States Army, Brigade Judge Advocate and Staff JAG officer for the Maneuver Training Center, Camp Grayling, Michigan; Recipient of the Army's Meritorious Service Medal (the highest medal of honor available to Soldiers serving in non-combat roles); 2012 Graduate of the Judge Advocate Officer Advanced Course, at The Judge Advocate Legal Center and School, Charlottesville, Virginia.
United States Navy Reserves, Combat Warfare Qualification, January 1989 to July 2003
Former law clerk to Justice Stephen J. Markman, Michigan Supreme Court, Research Attorney, Michigan Court of Appeals. Insurance Coverage Associate Plunkett Cooney; Environmental Law Attorney at Squire Sanders, now Squire Patton Boggs; Master's Degree in Environmental Law; Environmental Law Scholar, ALI/ABA Washington, D.C., Juris Doctorate, Vermont Law School, Environmental Editor, Vermont Law Review; Treasurer and Finalist, Moot Court Advisory Board.
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Amicus Curious 