Samson v. California

California’s policy of requiring parolees to be subject to search at any time was upheld by the United States Supreme Court. The Fourth Amendment forbids unreasonable searches and seizures, and in most cases that means the police must have probable cause before conducting a search. However, there are exceptions, and even law-abiding people are subject to search when entering a courthouse or boarding an airplane. Convicted felons are subject to search at any time while in prison, and the state may reasonably require that prisoners released on parole, but still officially in custody, also be subject to search. [CJLF brief in PDF.]