PA Supreme Court OKs Warrantless Searches of Cars

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, 4-2, has ruled that warrantless searches of cars are permissible, the Harrisburg Patriot-News reports. The Supreme Court adopted a probable cause standard. Justice Seamus P. McCaffery, the author for the majority, said Pennsylvania would now have a uniform standard in federal and state court and would "'avoid unnecessary confusion, conflict and inconsistency in this often-litigated area.'" In dissent, Justice Debra Todd said the majority was contravening "'225 years of unyielding protection against unreasonable search and seizure which our people have enjoyed as their birthright.'"