Supreme Court Update:

By Lance M. Hester; April 1999

     On April 5, 1999, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down it’s decision on Wyoming v. Houghton, No. 98-184.  Justice Scalia’s majority opinion held the following:

     “We hold that police officers with probable cause to search a car may inspect passengers’ belongings found in the car that are capable of concealing the object of the search.”

     Anyone whose practice regularly involves the representation of clients arrested during the course of traffic stops is well advised to read the case.  For now, it can be found at the following web address:

                http://www.findlaw.com     

Go to the U.S. Supreme Court link and from there to 1999 decisions.  Look for the case by it’s name (Wyoming v. Houghton). 

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