cooper california argued december decided february petitioner convicted narcotics violation california state partly evidence police seized warrantless search car week arrest pending forfeiture proceedings car impounded evidence pursuant statutory provision seizure forfeiture vehicles used violation narcotics laws state appellate decision declined review held search seizure unconstitutional preston held evidentiary error harmless state constitution provision held circumstances case police violate fourth amendment making search closely related reason petitioner arrested car validly held use evidence forfeiture proceeding preston supra distinguished pp cal app cal rptr affirmed michael traynor appointment argued cause filed briefs petitioner albert harris assistant attorney general california argued cause respondent brief thomas lynch attorney general edward deputy attorney general justice black delivered opinion petitioner convicted california state selling heroin police informer conviction rested part introduction evidence small piece brown paper sack seized police without warrant glove compartment automobile police upon petitioner arrest impounded holding garage search occurred week arrest petitioner petitioner appealed conviction california district appeal considering bound holding opinion preston held search seizure violated fourth amendment ban unreasonable searches seizures went however determine harmless error art vi california constitution provides judgments set aside reversed unless opinion error resulted miscarriage justice cal app cal rptr california declined hear case granted certiorari along chapman california ante consider whether california constitutional provision used way ignore alleged federal constitutional error today passed upon question chapman reach case satisfied lower erroneously decided preston case required search held unreasonable one within meaning fourth amendment made clear preston whether search seizure unreasonable within meaning fourth amendment depends upon facts circumstances case pointed particular searches cars constantly movable may make search car without warrant reasonable one although result might opposite search home store fixed piece property preston search sought justified primarily ground incidental part lawful arrest said nce accused arrest custody search made another place without warrant simply incident arrest preston case alternatively argued warrantless search arrest preston car held police justified officers probable cause believe car stolen police arrested preston vagrancy theft claim made police authority hold car charge search therefore treated though car agent possession safe intrusions police anyone else situation involving petitioner car quite different california attorney general concedes search incident arrest argued however search reasonable grounds section california health safety code provides officer making arrest narcotics violation shall seize deliver state division narcotic enforcement vehicle used store conceal transport sell facilitate possession narcotics vehicle held evidence forfeiture declared release ordered emphasis supplied petitioner vehicle evidence showed used carry narcotics possession transportation impounded officers duty required kept evidence forfeiture proceedings carried conclusion lower concluded matter state law state forfeiture statute clear express language authorize officers search petitioner car cal app cal question whether search authorized state law question rather whether search reasonable fourth amendment search authorized state law may unreasonable one amendment may search expressly authorized state law justified constitutionally reasonable one true lower said lawful custody automobile dispense constitutional requirements searches thereafter made reason nature custody may constitutionally justify search preston arrested vagrancy arresting officer took car station rather leaving street suggested done preston convenience police right impound car keep preston whomever might send fact police custody preston car totally unrelated vagrancy charge arrested subsequent search car case preston controlled officers seized petitioner car required state law seized crime arrested petitioner seized impound keep forfeiture proceedings concluded subsequent search car whether state legal title closely related reason petitioner arrested reason car impounded reason retained forfeiture petitioner car take place four months lawfully seized unreasonable hold police retain car custody length time right even protection search answer say police obtained search warrant relevant test whether reasonable procure search warrant whether search reasonable rabinowitz circumstances case hold unreasonable fourth amendment examination search car validly held officers use evidence forfeiture proceeding holding course affect state power impose higher standards searches seizures required federal constitution chooses state standards alone violated state free without review us apply state rule errors state law federal constitutional error need us determine whether lower properly applied state rule affirmed cal health safety code provides interest registered owner vehicle used unlawfully transport facilitate unlawful transportation narcotic narcotic unlawfully kept deposited concealed used facilitate unlawful keeping depositing concealment narcotic narcotic unlawfully possessed occupant thereof used facilitate unlawful possession narcotic occupant thereof shall forfeited state petitioner also presents contention unconstitutionally deprived right confront witness state produce informant testify contention consider absolutely devoid merit justice douglas chief justice justice brennan justice fortas concur dissenting petitioner arrested auto seized officers pursuant california health safety code section authorizes state officer making arrest violation narcotics laws seize vehicle used unlawfully transport narcotic facilitate unlawful transportation narcotic narcotic unlawfully kept directs officer deliver vehicle division narcotic enforcement held evidence forfeiture declared release ordered week petitioner arrest state agent searched car stored towing service discovered piece brown paper appeared torn grocery bag piece paper introduced trial along two bundles heroin petitioner allegedly sold informer brown paper heroin wrapped petitioner indicted convicted selling heroin judgment forfeiture petitioner car entered day termination trial california district appeal held piece paper bag product illegal search cal app cal rptr first state held state rely subsequent forfeiture justify search realistically noted state title relate back time seizure judicial declaration forfeiture since forfeiture judgment entered petitioner trial state rely justify search cal second held although automobile lawful custody officers time search health safety code authorize officers search car cal since search pursuant warrant since incidental petitioner arrest illegal hence fact car held evidence matter state law give officers dominion officers preston car custody preston petitioner others arrested vagrancy failed give acceptable explanation presence parked car late night taken police station car taken first station garage men booked police officers went garage searched car without warrant found evidence incriminating petitioner others conspiracy rob federally insured bank instant case petitioner arrested car taken garage searched week arrest likewise without warrant preston search justified incidental lawful arrest case distinguished preston ground one car lawfully police custody preston fact car lawful police custody legalize search without warrant since california held health safety code authorize search car impounded provisions case fours preston far police custody concerned custody car relevant militates reasonableness search said preston ince men arrest police station car police custody garage danger car moved locality jurisdiction moreover claim search illegal car forfeited state foreclosed state holding circumstances forfeiture relate back date seizure state interpretation statute upset guaranty trust blodgett repeat case fours preston search car validly held officers use expression preston course federal case state case fourth amendment sanctions applies well federal government mapp ohio see two ways explain opinion one overrules preston sub silentio like preston think however healthy rule protecting zone privacy individual prescribed fourth amendment days police often take possession cars towing away improperly parked cars validly held police yet searched without warrant precincts individual invaded barriers privacy breached unless search incident arrest insist police obtain warrant search man car must search home present decision overrule preston perhaps rationalized one ground view bill rights applied reason fourteenth amendment version used view due process qualifies provisions bill rights today decision perhaps explicable terms also reject unreasonable searches seizures used fourth amendment used reference fifth freedom speech used first like mean state federal case four months arrest another agent searched car found marijuana seed introduced trial objection evidence since jury trial judge indicated marijuana seed irrelevant charge petitioner tried view expressly approved malloy hogan