Oregon Supreme Court Places Limits on Police Questions at Traffic Stops

The Oregon Supreme Court issued a decision late last week that places restrictions on officers' ability to question occupants of vehicles at traffic stops.

According to Oregon Public Broadcasting , the ruling in the case of State of Oregon v. Mario Arreola-Botello instructs police officers in the state to restrict their questions to topics "reasonably related" to the reason for the traffic stop.

The case stemmed from a traffic stop during which Arreola-Botello was pulled over for failing to signal a turn. During the stop, the officer asked about the presence of drugs or weapons and requested the driver's consent to search the vehicle.

During that search, the officer discovered a package of methamphetamine.

Arreola-Botello's attorney argued that the search of his car was unconstitutional because it was spawned by questions that went outside the scope of what police should be allowed to ask during a routine traffic stop.