Police in Iowa will now need a search warrant in most cases if they intend to search your vehicle.
The decision comes from a Davenport case from three years ago.
"Now it will be required to prepare a warrant. It has to be on paper, it has to be presented to a judge, and a judge has to review it and sign it. And then the search can be conducted," said Michael Walton, Scott County Attorney.
Jesse Gaskins was pulled over for driving with expired plates in December of 2012. He admitted he had been smoking marijuana. Officers placed him under arrest, then searched the vehicle. They eventually found a locked safe and used a key to open the safe. Inside the safe they found more marijuana, a loaded handgun, and pipes. Tuesday, the court ruled that search violated his rights. Now that a warrant will typically be required, law enforcement will have extra work to do.
"Finding a judge early morning, 3:00 in the morning, on holidays...although there are judges on call, it can be difficult," said Walton.
Other options do exist if they can’t get ahold of a judge.
“If the officer has probable cause for a search, they may wish to impound the vehicle for that search," explained Walton.
Scott County will not retry the case, and they are sending memos to all agencies informing them of the change.
Click here to read the Iowa Supreme Court's ruling on police searches of items in cars 6-30-15