Q: Can the police search my house without a warrant?

Most of the time, the police are not allowed to legally search your home or residence without a search warrant. However, under these certain circumstances, they are allowed by law to enter your home without a warrant:

• If you as the property owner consent and give them permission to enter and look around
• If the officer has a right to be on your property and sees evidence of a crime in plain view, he or she may seize it
• If you are arrested in your home for a crime, then the police may search the premises for weapons or evidence
• If not searching your home could endanger the public or lead to loss of evidence, then the police may search under “exigent circumstances”

If a police officer has illegally searched your residence, then the Champaign-Urbana criminal lawyers of Thomas A. Bruno & Associates can help. Contact us today at 217-328-6000.