Which US Supreme Court case allowed for probable cause searches of movable vehicles in public areas?

The answer is based on the landmark ruling in the case of Carroll v. United States, which established the legal precedent for probable cause searches of movable vehicles located in public areas. In this case, the Supreme Court held that law enforcement officers could conduct warrantless searches of automobiles if they had probable cause to believe that the vehicle contained evidence of a crime. The rationale behind this decision lies in the inherent mobility of vehicles and the diminished expectation of privacy in public spaces compared to residential premises.

This ruling is significant as it acknowledges the practical challenges law enforcement faces in securing a warrant for an immediate search of a vehicle, particularly when the vehicle can be driven away quickly. As a result, if an officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that a vehicle contains contraband or evidence, they are permitted to perform a search without a warrant.

The other cases listed do not center around this specific principle related to vehicle searches. For example, Payton v. New York dealt with warrantless arrests in homes, while Whren v. United States established that traffic violations can justify a stop, and Michigan v. Summers addressed the circumstances under which a person can be detained during a search warrant execution. Therefore, Carroll v. United States uniquely applies to the context of probable cause searches of