Monthly Archives: September 2011

In 1973, the United States Supreme Court expanded the authority of law enforcement officers to conduct searches incident to a lawful arrest. In the case before the Court, Willie Robinson was arrested for the crime of operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license. Incident to the arrest, the arresting officer searched Robinson for weapons [...]

In 1969, the United States Supreme Court held that, contemporaneous with a lawful arrest, law enforcement officers can search the arrestee for weapons that could be used against the officers and to prevent the arrestee from concealing or destroying evidence. The Court limited the scope of the search to the arrestee’s person and the area [...]