The 4th Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches & seizures and requires any warrant to be judicially supported by probable cause. The question is, what is unreasonable? A group of teenage boys were standing in a friend’s driveway when they were approached by a police officer. The officer asked if he could search each of them. Is that a reasonable search and is there probable cause to search a group of teenage friends who are just hanging out minding their own business? It is not reasonable to be searched and there is absolutely no probable cause to search a group of friends who are simply minding their own business. And if the officer did not find anything on the teenage friends, what if he asked to search their vehicles? Is there probable cause to do that? Absolutely not!

What do you do when you are approached by a police officer when you are minding your own business, or just hanging out with friends and asked if he can search you? You tell that officer that he cannot search you without a warrant. Do not let him search you and do not let him search your car or home without a warrant which can only be issued with probable cause. What is probable cause? Probable cause is a reasonable ground to suspect that a person has committed or is committing a crime or that a place contains specific items connected with a crime.

If you are ever charged with a crime when you have been a victim of an unreasonable search or seizure, you need to consult with an attorney who will fight for your rights!