California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Thomas, 38 Cal.App.4th 1331, 45 Cal.Rptr.2d 610 (Cal. App. 1995):
2 We emphasize that this case involves a search and seizure issue, not the enforcement of an ordinance which prohibits people from sleeping under bridges or in parks. (See Tobe v. City of Santa Ana, supra, 9 Cal.4th 1069, 40 Cal.Rptr.2d 402, 892 P.2d 1145.) Viewed from a practical perspective, it borders on the absurd to suggest the police should have to get a warrant before searching a transient's temporary shelter. By the time the warrant issued, the odds are the shelter would be long gone.
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