U.S. Supreme Court declines to expand police search powers

By Lawrence Hurley, Reuters Posted on June 23, 2021

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Police do not have unlimited authority to enter a home without a warrant when pursuing a person suspected of a minor crime, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday in a case involving a California motorist chased home by an officer for honking his horn while listening to music.

By declining to endorse a broad interpretation of police power, the justices handed a victory to the driver, Arthur Lange, who is challenging his conviction of driving under the influence after the California highway patrol officer entered his garage without a warrant and performed a sobriety test.