Reasonable suspicion is a less demanding standard than probable cause not only in the sense that reasonable suspicion can be established with information that is different in quantity or content than that required to establish probable cause, but also in the sense that reasonable suspicion can arise from information that is less reliable than that required to show probable cause.... [An] unverified tip from [a] known informant might not [be] reliable enough to establish probable cause, but nevertheless [is] sufficiently reliable to justify a Terry stop. Reasonable suspicion, like probable cause, is dependent upon both the content of information possessed by police and its degree of reliability. Both factors—quantity and quality—are considered in the “totality of the circumstances—the whole picture,” that must be taken into account when evaluating whether there is reasonable suspicion. Thus, if a tip has a relatively low degree of reliability, more information will be required to establish the requisite quantum of suspicion than would be required if the tip were more reliable. Baptiste v. State, 995 So. 2d 285, 291 (Fla. 2008)
Holding: Reasonable Suspicion is a less severe form of Probable Cause. Probable Cause is a higher standard of proof which requires more facts.
