Can cops search your car?

If police search your car and find illegal items despite your refusal, your lawyer can file a motion to suppress — or throw out — the evidence in court. If the judge agrees that the officer’s search violated the 4th Amendment’s probable cause requirements, she’ll grant the motion. read more

If you've seen enough episodes of Cops, you might think that police can search your vehicle anywhere and anytime. That's not the case, and if your vehicle is unlawfully searched, it could prevent a prosecutor from using any evidence obtained from that search against you. read more

That’s the Hollywood version; in the real world, the cops generally don’t look a whole lot like Angelina Jolie and they cannot search every car they stop. You have fewer constitutional rights against searches of your car than of your person or home but, even in a car, you are protected against unreasonable searches. read more