Delaware v.

Prouse
Facts of the case

A Delaware patrolman stopped William Prouse's car to make a routine check of his
driver's license and vehicle registration. The officer had not observed any tra
ffic violation or suspicious conduct on the part of Prouse. After stopping the c
ar, the officer uncovered marijuana. The marijuana was later used to indict Prou
se.

Question

Did the officer's search of Prouse's automobile constitute an unreasonable searc

h and seizure under the Fourth Amendment?

ConclusionYes. In an 8-to-1 decision, the Court held that the privacy interests
of travelers outweighed the state interests in discretionary spot checks of auto
mobiles. The Court found that random checks made only marginal contributions to
roadway safety and compliance with registration requirements; less intrusive mea
ns could have been used to serve the same ends. Officers must be held to a "prob
able cause" standard for searches, otherwise individuals would be subject to "un
fettered governmental intrusion" each time they entered an automobile.