If a car is impounded by the police, is an inventory search of the vehicle a constitutionally reasonable search?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from The People v. Sandoval, F058751, No. BF124801B (Cal. App. 2010):
If a car is lawfully impounded by the police, a warrantless inventory search of the vehicle pursuant to a standardized procedure is a constitutionally reasonable search. (South Dakota v. Opperman (1976) 428 U.S. 364, 372; see generally, 3 LaFave, Search and Seizure (4th ed. 2004) 7.4(a), pp. 632-658 [inventory search of impounded vehicle].)
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