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Minnesota v. Dickerson

Impact



The holding in Dickerson prevented police officers from seizing nonthreatening articles when they conduct a limited patdown search for weapons on suspicious persons, but only if the officers cannot determine whether an article is contraband without removing the article for further examination. Far from rejecting the plain feel doctrine, though, the Court confirmed that police may seize nonthreatening contraband if they know immediately upon feeling an object that the object is illegal.



Additional topics

Law Library - American Law and Legal InformationNotable Trials and Court Cases - 1989 to 1994Minnesota v. Dickerson - Significance, Impact, Nightwalker Statutes, Further Readings