Police have corroborated information that a mobile home, the residence of Ernst, was being used as a distribution point for illicit drugs. The trailer was hooked to utilities and septic system in a mobile home lot and was elevated on blocks. The truck which towed the vehicle was parked nearby. If officers immediately knock and announce, enter, and conduct a warrantless search without consent, how are the courts most likely to view the search?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

CThe search would likely be viewed as invalid because they did not have a warrant (A), and the officers did not have knowledge that the evidence would be destroyed if they delayed, which is a necessary condition for exigency to apply (C). The fact that the mobile home was on blocks and hooked to utilities makes it more akin to a house than a vehicle in terms of Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Police Have Corroborated Information That a Mobile Home, the Residence