California v. Sandee

After the trial court denied a motion to suppress evidence, Megan Sandee pled guilty to possession for sale of a controlled substance and unauthorized possession of a controlled substance. The trial court granted felony probation to the court for a period of three years. Sandee appealed the trial court's denial of her motion to suppress the evidence obtained from the search of her cell phone. According to Sandee, although she was on probation at the time of the search and subject to a general search condition which allowed authorities to search her "property" and "personal effects" without a warrant, the scope of that search condition did not extend to a warrantless search of her cell phone. The Court of Appeal concluded the motion to suppress was properly denied, as a reasonable, objective person at the time of the search would understand a search of Sandee's cell phone to fall within the scope of the search conditions in her probation orders. View "California v. Sandee" on Justia Law