Carroll v. United States, 1925

Background

• Date: 1921
• Individuals Involved: George Carroll and John Cairo
• Location: Driving from Detroit to Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Action Taken: Federal prohibition officers were following Carroll and Cairo.
• Search Conducted: Officers pulled over their car and searched it without a warrant.
• Findings: 69 quarts of alcohol were discovered hidden in the upholstery.

Legal Proceedings

• Argument by Carroll:
  • Claimed that evidence should be suppressed because the search was conducted without a warrant.
• Counterargument by Officers:
  • Claimed they were allowed to conduct warrantless searches of vehicles if they had probable cause to believe alcohol was being transported.

Supreme Court Decision

• Decision: 7-2 ruling
• Ruling: A warrantless search of an automobile is permissible under the Fourth Amendment.
• Reasoning:
  • Cars are mobile, making it impracticable to obtain a warrant if there is probable cause.
  • This decision led to the establishment of the "Carroll Doctrine."

Significance

• Established the precedent for warrantless searches of vehicles by law enforcement given probable cause, due to the inherent mobility of automobiles.