What if I am pulled over and the officer asks me to "shakedown" my vehicle - what the best legaladvice I should follow?
While it depends on the state in which you live, if you are pulled over by an officer and the officerdoes not have a search warrant, then the officer does not have the right to search your motor vehicle.One of the best pieces of legal advice you can get is (if you have done nothing wrong) to force theofficer to get a warrant. During the time, you will wait for the warrant will be nothing compared tothe time you will save if the officer illegally searches your car.
If the officer searches the car and nothing is found, you have the right to demand an explanation ofthe search before and after the search is conducted. If the officer has searched your car under falseallegations, you have the right to file a complaint with the officer's boss. You will need to jot downthe officer's badge numbers and take down the names spelling the name correctly. If you feelharassment is the purpose of the pull over and search, you may be eligible to sue the policedepartment.
In most states, officers need a probable cause to pull over a motor vehicle. If the person is speeding,not wearing his⁄her seatbelt, or has apparent faulty problems with the vehicle that can lead to hazard,then the officer can pull you over. If the officer cannot prove any fault as to why you were pulledover, then wrongful acts were committed against you. Be advised that in some states, such asMichigan, the police currently have the right to pull a motor vehicle over for nearly any reason.
