May 1, 2014
Pennsylvania Court OKs Car Searches Without Warrant
[From article]
Local police and legal professionals are calling the opinion “big news.”
“This is a significant change in long-standing Pennsylvania criminal law, and it is a good one,” Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman said Wednesday afternoon.
Under prior law, an officer who smells marijuana inside a car, for example, could only search the car with the driver’s consent — or if illegal substances were in plain view.
(Federal officers, like FBI or ATF agents, can search, regardless.)
Now, based on the opinion, it only takes reasonable probable cause for an officer to go ahead with a search without a warrant.
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/supreme-court-pennsylvania-cops-no-longer-need-a-warrant-to/article_6a407fc6-d077-11e3-8025-0017a43b2370.html
Pa. police powers increased
Supreme Court: Pennsylvania cops no longer need a warrant to search citizens’ vehicles
Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 10:55 am | Updated: 2:52 pm, Wed Apr 30, 2014.
By BRETT HAMBRIGHT | Staff Writer
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