Arizona v. Gant

A plain-English summary from Criminal Defense Resources™, a free resource for pro per/pro se defendants and their families.

General educational information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. This page describes what a court decided in general terms. It does not tell you what to do in any case.

Court: U.S. Supreme Court
Decided: April 21, 2009
Citation: 556 U.S. 332 (2009)
Topics: Search & Seizure (Fourth Amendment)

What did the court decide?

The Court held that police may search a car after arresting a recent occupant only if the arrested person could reach into the passenger area at the time of the search, or if it is reasonable to believe the car contains evidence of the crime of arrest.

Why does it matter?

This Arizona case limits vehicle searches after an arrest, which come up often in traffic-stop cases.

Where can I read the full opinion?

Read the full opinion on Cornell Law School LII →

Always read the full opinion and check whether later cases have limited or changed it. A summary can leave out important details.

Related rulings

Chatrie v. United States (U.S. Supreme Court, 2026)
United States v. Smith (5th Circuit, 2024)
State v. Mixton (Arizona Supreme Court, 2021)
United States v. Cano (9th Circuit, 2019)

General educational information, not legal advice. Not a law firm.