Home > Great American Court Cases > Florida v. Wells

Legal Citation: 495 U.S. 1 (1990)

Petitioner
State of Florida

Respondent
Martin Leslie Wells

Petitioner's Claim
It is not a violation of the Fourth Amendment for a police officer to open a locked suitcase that is found in the trunk of an arrestee's vehicle, even if the police station has no clear policy on the opening of locked containers during an inventory search.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner
Michael J. Neimand

Chief Lawyer for Respondent
Huntley Johnson

Justices for the Court
Harry A. Blackmun, William J. Brennan, Jr., Anthony M. Kennedy, Thurgood Marshall, Sandra Day O'Connor, William H. Rehnquist (writing for the Court), Antonin Scalia, John Paul Stevens, Byron R. White

Justices Dissenting
None

Place
Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision
18 April 1990