Number: RL30316
Title: SEARCH AND SEIZURE IN THE VEHICULAR CONTEXT: FOURTH AMENDMENT ISSUES
Authors: T.J. Halstead, American Law Division 
Abstract: This report discusses the Fourth Amendment as it relates to vehicular searches and traffic detentions conducted by law enforcement officers. An overview of exceptions to the warrant and probable cause requirements prescribed under the Constitution is provided, outlining the range of permissible policy activity in this area. A particular emphasis is placed on recent Supreme Court decisions, including the validity of pretextual stops and consent based searches, which illustrate the balancing approach used by the Court to weigh personal privacy interests against the legitimate safety and investigatory needs of law enforcement, and serves to clarify the extent of police power in the vehicular context.
Pages: 14
Date: Updated September 15, 1999