Also known as: reasonable man test · reasonable-man standard · reasonable person standard · objective reasonableness
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
An objective standard measuring conduct by what a hypothetical reasonable person would do under similar circumstances.
Rhea Reynolds consented to a search of her car for drugs. Officers opened a closed backpack in the trunk and found contraband. The court upheld the search because a reasonable person in the officers' position would have understood the consent to extend to containers where drugs could be hidden.
Rajesh Rao obtained a warrant later found defective. Officers executed it in good faith. The court declined to suppress evidence because a reasonable officer would have believed the warrant valid based on the information presented.
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Rosa Ruiz reported on a matter of public interest involving Ronald Reed. Reed sued for defamation. The court applied the reasonable person standard to determine whether the statements were made with actual malice.
Renee Rogers fled from officers in a high-speed chase. Officers fired shots that struck her vehicle. The court measured the force against what a reasonable officer would have done under the same tense circumstances.
Rina Rahman resisted arrest during a diabetic episode. Officers used force to subdue her. The court evaluated the officers' actions under the objective reasonable person standard from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene.
Ronald Reed drove recklessly to evade capture. Officers bumped his car to end the pursuit. The court held the maneuver reasonable because a reasonable officer would have viewed the risk to the public as justifying the action.
The standard adjusts to that of a reasonable child of similar age, intelligence, and experience rather than an adult. This accounts for children's lesser maturity and judgment while still holding them responsible for what can fairly be expected.
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Custom supplies relevant evidence but does not fix the standard as a matter of law. A jury may still find the custom itself unreasonable under the circumstances presented.
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Yes. The contact must be harmful or offensive to a reasonable sense of personal dignity. The defendant's motive or claim of joking does not negate liability if the contact meets that objective test.
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The scope is measured by objective reasonableness. Officers may search areas where a reasonable person would understand the consent to extend.
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It evaluates whether the provocation would cause a reasonable person to lose self-control. Historical gender biases in the defense have been challenged as inconsistent with an objective standard.
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…we do not believe that it will have this effect. As we have already suggested, the good-faith exception, turning as it does on objective reasonableness, should not be difficult to apply in practice. When officers have acted pursuant to a warrant, the prosecution should ordinarily be able to establish objective good faith without a…