Page 164 - Critical Tasks in Law Enforcement 2020-2021 Sessioin

Task: Probable Cause Searches of Motor Vehicles

California v. Acevedo, 500 U.S. 565 (1991).

An officer who observes a container being placed in a vehicle, and

who has probable cause to believe the container contains evidence
or contraband, may search the container under the motor vehicle

exception to the warrant requirement.

• This case overruled previous decisions that would have required the

police to immobilize the item and then obtain a search warrant.

©2021 Jack Ryan Legal & Liability Risk Management Institute 163