Search Scenarios

Read each of the following scenarios and state whether it would be considered a legal or
illegal search in Canada.

1. A 16 year old student has a party at their parent’s house. A police officer knocks at

the door in response to a noise complaint and asks to come in. The student states

the police officer is not allowed to enter the house. The police officer pushes past

the teenager and enters the house. ___________________________________

2. Based on the same scenario as above, the police officer is at the door of the house

and asks the student how old they are. The student responds that they are 16

years old. The police officer notices that the student is intoxicated and sees a

fellow high school student smoking a joint in the house. The police officer enters

the house. ______________________________________________________

3. Four adults are driving in a car and get pulled over for speeding. The police officer

sees someone in the backseat with an open bottle of alcohol. He asks everyone to

step out of the vehicle and proceeds to search each person. ________________

4. Three police officers obtain a search warrant for a house based on evidence that

they believe the homeowner is dealing drugs. The warrant states that they are

looking for drugs and drug related paraphernalia. The officers search a desk

drawer and find a gun. _____________________________________________

5. As a homeowner you give police the permission to search your home, but they do not

have a search warrant. _____________________________________________

6. A police officer is in pursuit of someone on foot who is believed to have just robbed

a bank. She enters the suspect’s home. While there she encounters a lot of money

and weapons. The officer proceeds to search the rest of the house. ___________