THIS IS NOT MY WORK
This was left at another site. seems pertinent. again, I DID NOT COME UP WITH THIS.
DISCLAIMER
This article does not constitute legal advice and it should not form the basis of any course of action. In all cases, consult with a duly accredited and licensed attorney in your state to determine the specifics of the law as applied to you (in your State). Neither the author nor the publisher intends this article to be anything but published for entertainment and educational purposes and affirm once again that this article is not offering legal advise.
..... LOTS OF OTHER INTERESTING STUFF. AND THEN THIS...
...Similarly, once the impounded vehicle is searched, even closed containers inside it may be subjected to a warrantless and probable-cause-less inventory search. But such warrantless inventory searches must satisfy two conditions: The police must follow standardized procedures, so that the person searching does not have unbridled discretion to determine the scope of the search; and
The police must not have acted in bad faith or for the sole purpose of investigation. (Example: If the arrest or impoundment took place just to furnish an excuse for a warrantless search, the inventory-search exception will not apply). (Colorado v. Bertine)
Don't make the mistake of thinking that every time the police validly stop a motorist, they may search that motorist's car. There are times when no warrantless search is allowed even though the stop was proper. In particular, if the officer properly stops a car to write a traffic ticket, and does not make an arrest, the officer is not allowed, merely by virtue of the stop, to search the car. This is true even if under local law the officer could have made a custodial arrest for the traffic violation. (Knowles v. Iowa) But, if the cop pulls you over for speeding and smells the odor of drugs, sees a gun on the passenger seat, or some pills on the dash board, that would probably be sufficient probably cause.
