Virginia and 4th Amendment.

[Navy joe]

Question. Does anyone in VA know if any state laws passed since 9/11 that have allowed police to search your vehicle regardless of consent?

For that matter, any links to federal court cases where illegal searches in "zee name of Fatherland security" have held up in court?

Personally, in my several traffic stops, two armed, I have never even been asked to search my vehicle. I just want to know because a family member is convinced the Va police have new "run roughshod" powers.

 

[tyme]

I doubt it.

http://www.thehighroad.org/library/4a/index.html
Take a look at chapters 6 and 11.

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

I think that there exist some special contradictory "search" provisions in Virginia near the Washington DC airport. I believe that this in in the court system right now.

 

[Leatherneck]

As you know, all DoD property (and perhaps other Fed property like Capitol Hill, maybe airports, and National parks(?) are posted to the effect that by simply entering that property you are consenting to a search. There's a lot of such Fed property in the Old Dominion. But I haven't heard of any specific voiding of the required grounds for a search beyond PC/Terry searches. Patriot Act maybe?

TC
TFL Survivor

 

[fjolnirsson]

The only thing I am aware of is the recent supreme court ruling which allows police to set up roadblocks for the purpose of randomly questioning the public. IIRC, this is allowed for the purpose of gathering information about recent crimes, and was ruled to"not be a significant inconvenience" to motorists.
I'll see if I can find the article.

 

[7.62FullMetalJacket]

I just finished reading EFAD and I am having a hard time disabusing myself of the notion that these stops may be real Firearm inspections stop terrorism (FIST) was enacted (fictionally) in Virginia where roadblocks were set and every car was inspected. Seems too close to reality for me.

 

[David Park]

This seems to be the relevant bit of Virginia law governing searches:
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+19.2-59

I'm not aware of any recent changes, but as stated above, Virginia law does not apply to federal property. I drive through Ft. Belvoir (on Rt. 1) to get to a local range, and I understand that's kind of a gray area with joint jurisdiction by the VA police and the MPs. Also, the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority claims large areas around Dulles and Reagan National under their jurisdiction, and even though they are supposed to be subordinate to VA law, they claim their "no weapons" policy applies to all of this area.