Which case addresses the search of the passenger compartment of a vehicle incident to the arrest of an occupant?

• A. Chimel v California
• B. United States v Ross
• C. Adams v Williams
• D. United States v Chadwick

Answer: (B)

The key idea is how far police can go when a vehicle is involved in an arrest and there’s justification to search it. United States v. Ross addresses this directly: when there is probable cause to believe a vehicle contains evidence or contraband, officers may search the vehicle without a warrant, and the search can extend to the passenger compartment as well as any containers inside the vehicle. This case clarifies that a vehicle’s search isn’t limited to a small area simply because someone is being arrested; the entire car can be opened to reach evidence tied to the offense.

Chimel v California, by contrast, concerns searches incident to arrest inside a home and limits the search to the arrestee’s immediate surroundings, not a vehicle. Adams v Williams deals with stop-and-frisk during a traffic encounter, not a vehicle search for evidence inside the passenger compartment. United States v Chadwick focuses on sealed containers (like luggage) carried in a vehicle and the need for probable cause or a warrant to search such containers.