Search of vehicles for contraband liquor
Certain law enforcement officers — including liquor control agents, state highway patrol members, and sheriffs — can search a vehicle without a search warrant if they have a good reason to think the vehicle is being used to break Missouri's liquor laws. Anything found during that search can only be used as evidence in liquor law cases, not in any other type of court case.
311.820. Search of vehicles for liquor — use of evidence found. — The of the state of Missouri and his agents and inspectors, members of the Missouri state patrol, and every sheriff and sheriff in the state of Missouri may inspect and search any vehicle, with or without a , which he has to believe is being used in violation of the terms of this statute; provided, however, that any evidence found by any such officer while inspecting or searching any vehicle the of sections 311.410 to 311.460 may be used in any for the violation of sections 311.410 to 311.460; in any seeking to have any property seized in such search declared contraband under the provisions of sections 311.410 to 311.460, 311.580 and 311.820 to 311.850, but any such evidence shall not be used in any other proceeding whatsoever, civil or criminal.
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Source & history notes
(L. 1949 p. 320 § 4932) (1951) The provisions of this section constitute a condition to the granting of a license under § 311.420 and consequently, objections to search on constitutional grounds are waived by application for and acceptance of license. State v. Ward, 361 Mo. 1236, 239 S.W.2d 313. (1953) If party to action for forfeiture does not establish that he is the owner of or has an interest in the whiskey he cannot question the legality of the search and seizure. State v. Rodgers, 364 Mo. 247, 260 S.W.2d 736.
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.