When does a seizure of a person occur?

A seizure of a person occurs when a reasonable person in the same situation would believe they are not free to leave. This is connected to the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. The key factor is the perception of the individual regarding their freedom to terminate the encounter with law enforcement.

In this scenario, if a reasonable observer feels they cannot decline the officer’s requests or feel compelled to comply, it constitutes a seizure. This understanding focuses on the objective standard of a reasonable person's perspective rather than the subjective intentions of the officer or the explicit use of force.

Other choices do not fully capture this legal standard. For instance, the use of physical force might indicate a seizure, but the mere presence of physical force is not necessary for a seizure to occur. Similarly, a request for identification does not inherently mean a person is seized; a person can still feel free to leave. Finally, if a person feels free to leave, then there is no seizure, making that choice inconsistent with the definition of a seizure. Thus, the criteria articulated emphasize the reasonable person's perception, which aligns with the definition of a seizure in legal terms.