Vehicle Search Legal Rights

Summary

In Ohio, if an officer smells marijuana, they have probable cause to search the vehicle, including any bags or purses inside. This applies regardless of the ownership of the purse or the vehicle.

Full Conversation

my friend got pulled over, we were asked to step out of the car. I tried to take my purse with me as it’s my property. The officer tried telling me it’s illegal to remove my purse from the vehicle before they search. I said this is wrong as it’s my property and this isn’t my vehicle. I want to know if the cop was correct or if I was
Did the officer provide a reason for the search? It's important to know as it can affect the legality of the search.
he did, an odor of marijuana
What state did this incident occur in? In Ohio, an odor of marijuana can provide probable cause for a vehicle search.
ohio
In Ohio, if an officer smells marijuana, they have probable cause to search the vehicle, including any bags or purses inside.
but what if it wasn’t my vehicle? I’m still not allowed to removed my purse because it’s MY property and that wasn’t my vehicle
In Ohio, if an officer has probable cause to search a vehicle, they can also search any containers inside, including purses, regardless of ownership.
thank you
You're welcome, ****. If you have any more questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask.