This paper studies the use of hypothetical and value-based reasoning in US Supreme-Court cases concerning the United States Fourth Amendment. Drawing upon formal AI & Law models of legal argument a semi-formal reconstruction is given of parts of the Carney case, which has been studied previously in AI & law research on case-based reasoning. The result is compared with Rissland's (1989) analysis in terms of dimensions and Ashley's (2008) analysis in terms of his process model of legal argument with hypotheticals.