Final answer:
Officers cannot search the passenger compartment of a vehicle incident to an arrest without probable cause that it may contain evidence of the crime. The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, typically requiring a warrant based on probable cause, with certain exceptions allowing warrantless searches.
Step-by-step explanation:
Incident to an arrest, officers cannot search the passenger compartment of a vehicle unless they have probable cause to believe that evidence of the crime for which the person was arrested may be found in the vehicle. Without such probable cause, an invasive search of the compartment generally requires a warrant. The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, and states that warrants must only be issued upon probable cause, supported by an oath or affirmation, and detail the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
However, there are exceptions to this requirement. For instance, police can conduct searches without a warrant under certain circumstances including:
- Consent is given by the owner or renter of the vehicle.
- Exigent circumstances exist where evidence may be destroyed or tampered with.
- Items that are in plain view and obviously evidence of a crime or contraband.
- In the case of Terry v. Ohio, if there is a reasonable suspicion that a person is armed and dangerous, a frisk can be performed without a warrant.
In the Supreme Court case Georgia v. Randolph, it is also stated that police cannot conduct a warrantless search in a home where one occupant consents and the other objects, showing there are nuanced limitations to search powers based on the context of the situation.