Car Searches

Have you recently experienced a traffic stop? Did the police search your car without your permission or a warrant? We want to hear from you!

The Supreme Court has long held that the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows police to search your car without a warrant during a traffic stop when there is probable cause to believe the car contains contraband.

But that rule doesn’t provide nearly enough protection for innocent drivers. Neutral judges, not cops on the side of the road, should be the ones who get to decide whether there is probable cause to search your car.

Fortunately, state constitutions can provide more protection than that. Some state courts have already recognized this, and yours could too! If you have recently experienced an intrusive and baseless car search, submit your potential case using the form below.

At the Institute for Justice, we believe that the government should not be able to search your vehicle without a warrant. As a non-profit civil liberties law firm, the Institute for Justice represents everyday people—free of charge—when the government violates their most important constitutional rights.