Texas Man Wins Fourth Amendment Lawsuit Over Unlawful Traffic Stop

How the Unlawful Traffic Stop Unfolded

Schott was traveling back to Houston from an oil industry work trip near the Texas border when the March 2022 stop occurred. According to testimony from Schott and his attorneys, Christie Hebert and Jeff Rowes of the Texas Office of the Institute for Justice, a series of surveillance tactics converged on his vehicle. An anonymous tip, roadside federal surveillance cameras, license plate readers, and a K-9 alert from a manipulated dog all marked his vehicle for targeting. Deputy Joel Babb claimed he stopped Schott because the pickup drifted across a fog line, but trial evidence proved the lane deviation never happened.

"I was returning from a work trip. Officers found nothing unlawful inside his truck during the subsequent search and interrogation.”

Legal Strategy Behind the $76 Lawsuit

Rather than seeking a massive financial payout, Schott sued for exactly $76—one dollar for every minute he sat detained on the roadside. His attorneys stated the legal action targeted unconstitutional dragnet tactics rather than legitimate high-tech crime fighting.

Next Steps for Bexar County Traffic Stops

Following the jury verdict, Schott’s legal team plans to ask Judge Orlando Garcia to order the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office to halt traffic stops executed through this specific method. The attorneys also announced they are prepared to file lawsuits on behalf of other motorists subjected to similar detentions. Texas Public Radio reached out to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office for comment on the verdict, but the agency declined to discuss active litigation and referred inquiries to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, which did not respond by publication time.