Fourth Amendment Case Law

Kansas v Glover

PO’s may infer that the operator of a m/v is also the owner of the vehicle and may conduct an m/v stop with that vehicle- in this case as a result of the owner having an expired/ susp license

South Dakota v Opperman

The Police can lawfully perform an “inventory search“, without a warrant, of a vehicle to which they are lawfully impounding

Coolidge v NH

The SCOTUS ruled that Search Warrants need to be signed by a “Neutral and Detached Magistrate“- Unlawful search of the vehicle in murder invest

Chimel v California

Police can only search a suspect’s “Wing-Span“ area incident to arrest

New Jersey v TLO

School officials may conduct “reasonable“ warrantless searches of students that would normally fall under 4th amendment restrictions

Arizona v Gant

The SCOTUS ruled the search of this suspect’s vehicle, that was parked in his driveway, was unlawful as the suspect was no longer able to access the m/v and therefore posed no threat to PO’s

Katz v US

The SCOTUS ruled that Law Enforcement needs a Search Warrant to tap a public payphone

Terry v Ohio

This case established ”Reasonable Suspicion” when Officer McFadden observed suspects “casing“ a jewelry store and later found weapons on them after a “Pat-Down“ Frisk

New York v Belton

The SCOTUS ruled that the Police were within their rights to search a m/v, incident to arrest, when they search a jacket from a m/v found narcotics

Pennsylvania v Mimms

The court ruled that because PO’s performed a legitimate m/v stop with the suspect, finding evidence (weapons) as a result of seeing a bulge in his pocket was reasonable