Car Search

[G]

Can a cop pull you over and search your car without a warrant? What can they do and what can't they do?

[spyderman]

I believe it's a lose, lose situation. If you don't let them search your car, they tow it and get the permit to search while it's impounded. Don't quote me on this, though... I heard it from someone else

[bol]

They need probable cause to search a vehicle. IE you seem drunk so they look for booze, or weed, or whatever.


I got searched once, but they had probable cause to do so.


They can't do anything without probable cause.

[rage2]

I've had experience in this field =).

If you don't let them search, they can get a warrant to search if they believe you are hiding something. They can use a drug sniffing dog, if it senses anything, that's enough for a warrant. They have no right and won't get a warrant to search you if they pulled you over for speeding, for example.

They can ask you for permission to search the car. That's the same as getting a warrant. So if you have free time, make 'em go out of their way to get a warrant if you're not hiding anything =).

In the situation I was in, I was with some friends in their car to pick someone up. I guess a fight was scheduled for that day and cops were swarming us. Cops searched the car without permission, and found a bat, wrench, tip of a saw'd off, and other stupid stuff in the car that *could* be used as weapons (hey we were off to play baseball and fix our cars!). He never got charged, but we lost the bats and tools and had to cancel our baseball game =).

[Weapon_R]

You cannot be searched without reasonable clause. End of story.

[G]

I guess reasonable cause can be anything they decide to make up. Damn asses man!

[Weapon_R]

They can't stop you for a broken tail light, and then ask you to open your glove compartment for example. They need a warrant or a cop has to believe that he WILL find something before he goes roaming in your shit