Which case deals with the warrantless search of a lawfully impounded vehicle?

• A. Brown v State
• B. United States v Chadwick
• C. United States v Ross
• D. New York v Belton

Answer: (A)

When a vehicle is lawfully impounded, officers may perform a warrantless search as part of an inventory procedure. This is allowed to protect the owner's property, prevent loss or damage, and safeguard officers from claims of theft or danger, as long as the search is conducted in a routine, policy-driven manner.

Brown v State addresses this scenario, upholding the principle that an impounded vehicle can be searched without a warrant as part of the inventory process. The emphasis is on the purpose of the search (inventory) and adherence to standard police procedures rather than on seeking criminal evidence through a warrantless sweep.

Other cases involve different vehicle-search situations. For example, a case about opening a container inside a vehicle isn’t about an impoundment inventory; a case about searches of a vehicle without a warrant based on probable cause; and a case about searching the passenger area incident to a lawful stop all address distinct contexts. The key idea here is the inventory-search exception tied to an impounded vehicle, which Brown v State supports.