When police pull a person over, there must be a valid reason for the stop. They cannot pull someone over simply because of a person’s age, race, or other arbitrary reasons. If police do pull a person over for arbitrary reasons, the traffic stop is generally considered invalid and any evidence gathered from it can be thrown out. If you have been pulled over and you feel there was no probable cause for the traffic stop, contact a Gaylord Criminal Defense Attorney who will closely examine the facts of your case.
Determining the Validity of a Police Stop
In order to stop a vehicle, police must have observed some sort of infraction. This can include:
- Speeding
- Improper lane change
- Equipment problems
Such a violation gives the police a valid reason to initiate a stop and issue a ticket to the driver. It does not, however, give them an absolute right to search the vehicle or make the person take a field sobriety test. For instance, if police pull someone over for a broken tail light, they cannot then use that taillight as justification for searching the vehicle for contraband. Police must have probable cause to search a vehicle, and a traffic stop does not automatically give the police probable cause.
If you have been arrested or received a ticket and you believe the police did not have probable cause to pull you over or to search your vehicle, a Gaylord Criminal Defense Attorney can help. At Ross Hickman Law Office, we will aggressively challenge all evidence against you and fight for your liberty. If your rights were violated, we will challenge the evidence in court and work to get the evidence thrown out. No matter what charges you face, we will work to achieve the best outcome possible for your particular charges.
To learn more about how a Gaylord Criminal Defense Attorney can help with your charges, contact Ross Hickman Law Office today for a free consultation.