brendlin california argued april decided june officers stopped car check registration without reason believe operated unlawfully one recognized petitioner brendlin passenger car upon verifying brendlin parole violator officers formally arrested searched driver car finding among things methamphetamine paraphernalia charged possession manufacture substance brendlin moved suppress evidence obtained searching person car arguing officers lacked probable cause reasonable suspicion make traffic stop unconstitutional seizure person trial denied motion california appeal reversed holding brendlin seized traffic stop unlawful reversing state held suppression unwarranted passenger seized constitutional matter absent additional circumstances indicate reasonable person subject officer investigation show authority held police make traffic stop passenger car like driver seized fourth amendment purposes may challenge stop constitutionality pp person seized thus entitled challenge government action officers physical force show authority terminate restrain person freedom movement means intentionally applied florida bostick brower county inyo seizure without person actual submission see california hodari police actions show unambiguous intent restrain individual submission takes form passive acquiescence test telling seizure occurs whether light surrounding circumstances reasonable person believed free leave mendenhall principal opinion person desire leave reasons unrelated police presence coercive effect encounter measured better asking whether reasonable person feel free decline officers requests otherwise terminate encounter bostick supra pp brendlin seized reasonable person position car stopped believed free terminate encounter police bostick supra reasonable passenger understood officers exercising control point one car free depart without police permission traffic stop necessarily curtails passenger travel much halts driver diverting stream traffic side road police activity normally amounts intrusion privacy personal security normally distinguish passenger driver officer orders particular car pull acts implicit claim right based fault sort sensible person expect officer allow people come go freely physical focal point investigation faulty behavior wrongdoing likely wrongdoing driving passenger reasonably feel subject suspicion owing close association even wrongdoing bad driving passenger expect subject scrutiny attempt leave obviously likely prompt objection officer passenger feel free leave first place also reasonable passengers expect officer scene crime arrest investigation let people move around ways jeopardize safety see maryland wilson conclusion comports views nine federal courts appeals nearly every state ruled question pp state contrary conclusion reflects three premises respectfully disagrees first view police intended investigate car driver direct show authority toward brendlin impermissibly shifts issue intent police objectively manifested motive police taking intentional action stop car applying objective mendenhall test resolves ambiguity showing reasonable passenger understand subject police display authority second state assumption brendlin passenger ability submit police show authority driver control moving car unavailing brendlin effective way signal submission car moving came stop apparently submit staying inside third basis state fear adopting rule applies encompass even motorists whose movement impeded due traffic stop another car occupant car knows stuck traffic another car pulled police perceive show authority directed car pp state courts left consider first instance whether suppression turns issue cal vacated remanded souter delivered opinion unanimous bruce edward brendlin petitioner california writ certiorari california june justice souter delivered opinion police officer makes traffic stop driver car seized within meaning fourth amendment question case whether true passenger hold passenger seized well may challenge constitutionality stop early morning november deputy sheriff robert brokenbrough partner saw parked buick expired registration tags ensuing conversation police dispatcher brokenbrough learned application renewal registration processed officers saw car road time brokenbrough noticed display temporary operating permit number indicating legal drive car november app officers decided pull buick verify permit matched vehicle even though brokenbrough admitted later nothing unusual permit way affixed brokenbrough asked driver karen simeroth license saw passenger front seat petitioner bruce brendlin recognized one brendlin brothers recalled either scott bruce brendlin dropped parole supervision asked brendlin identify brokenbrough returned cruiser called backup verified brendlin parole violator outstanding warrant arrest patrol car brokenbrough saw brendlin briefly open close passenger door buick reinforcements arrived brokenbrough went passenger side buick ordered car gunpoint declared arrest police searched brendlin incident arrest found orange syringe cap person patdown search simeroth revealed syringes plastic bag green leafy substance also formally arrested officers searched car found tubing scale things used produce methamphetamine brendlin charged possession manufacture methamphetamine moved suppress evidence obtained searches person car fruits unconstitutional seizure arguing officers lacked probable cause reasonable suspicion make traffic stop assert fourth amendment rights violated search simeroth vehicle cf rakas illinois claimed traffic stop unlawful seizure person trial denied suppression motion finding stop lawful brendlin seized brokenbrough ordered car formally arrested brendlin pleaded guilty subject appeal suppression issue sentenced four years prison california appeal reversed denial suppression motion holding brendlin seized traffic stop held unlawful cal rptr officially depublished narrow majority california reversed state noted california concession officers reasonable basis suspect unlawful operation car cal still held suppression unwarranted passenger seized constitutional matter absence additional circumstances indicate reasonable person subject peace officer investigation show authority reasoned brendlin seized traffic stop simeroth exclusive target passenger submit officer show authority driver controls car car pulled road passenger feel free depart otherwise conduct affairs though police present dissent justice corrigan said traffic stop entails seizure passenger even driver sole target police investigation passenger detained purpose ensuring officer safety feel free leave car without officer permission granted certiorari decide whether traffic stop subjects passenger well driver fourth amendment seizure vacate ii person seized police thus entitled challenge government action fourth amendment officer means physical force show authority terminates restrains freedom movement florida bostick quoting terry ohio means intentionally applied brower county inyo emphasis original thus unintended person may object detention long detention willful merely consequence unknowing act cf county sacramento lewis seizure police officer accidentally struck killed motorcycle passenger pursuit police officer may make seizure show authority without use physical force seizure without actual submission otherwise attempted seizure far fourth amendment concerned see california hodari lewis supra actions police show unambiguous intent restrain individual submission show governmental authority takes form passive acquiescence needs test telling seizure occurs response authority test devised justice stewart mendenhall wrote seizure occurs view circumstances surrounding incident reasonable person believed free leave principal opinion later adopted justice stewart touchstone see hodari supra michigan chesternut ins delgado added person desire leave reasons unrelated police presence coercive effect encounter measured better asking whether reasonable person feel free decline officers requests otherwise terminate encounter bostick supra see also drayton law settled fourth amendment terms traffic stop entails seizure driver even though purpose stop limited resulting detention quite brief delaware prouse see also whren although today squarely answered question whether passenger also seized said dicta traffic stop officer seizes everyone vehicle driver see prouse supra topping automobile detaining occupants constitute within meaning fourth fourteenth amendments colorado bannister per curiam question stopping vehicle detention occupants constitute within meaning fourth amendment berkemer mccarty long acknowledged stopping automobile detaining occupants constitute seizure internal quotation marks omitted hensley topping car detaining occupants constitute seizure whren supra temporary detention individuals stop automobile police even brief period limited purpose constitutes within meaning fourth amendment come closest question two cases dealing unlawful seizure passenger neither time indicate distinction driver passenger affect fourth amendment analysis delaware prouse considered grounds stopping car road held prouse suppression motion properly granted spoke arresting officer testimony prouse back seat car pulled see described prouse occupant driver referred car occupants seized justification stopping car issue whren passed upon fourth amendment challenge two petitioners moved suppress drug evidence found course traffic stop see driver passenger claimed seized illegally police stopped car agreed held suppression unwarranted stop rested probable cause state concedes police adequate justification pull car see supra argues passenger seized thus claim evidence tainted unconstitutional stop resolve question asking whether reasonable person brendlin position car stopped believed free terminate encounter police bostick supra think circumstances reasonable passenger understood police officers exercising control point one car free depart without police permission traffic stop necessarily curtails travel passenger chosen much halts driver diverting stream traffic side road police activity normally amounts intrusion privacy personal security normally distinguish passenger driver officer orders one particular car pull acts implicit claim right based fault sort sensible person expect police officer allow people come go freely physical focal point investigation faulty behavior wrongdoing likely wrongdoing driving passenger reasonably feel subject suspicion owing close association even wrongdoing bad driving passenger expect subject scrutiny attempt leave scene obviously likely prompt objection officer passenger feel free leave first place cf drayton supra finding seizure police officers boarded stationary bus asked passengers permission search drugs also reasonable passengers expect police officer scene crime arrest investigation let people move around ways jeopardize safety maryland wilson held lawful traffic stop officer may order passenger car precautionary measure without reasonable suspicion passenger poses safety risk cf pennsylvania mimms per curiam driver may ordered car matter course fashioning rule invoked earlier statement risk harm police occupants minimized officers routinely exercise unquestioned command situation wilson supra quoting michigan summers said opinions probably reflects societal expectation police odds notion passenger feel free leave terminate personal encounter way without advance permission wilson supra conclusion comports views nine federal courts appeals nearly every state ruled question see kimball mosley rusher grant perez powell ameling twilley state bowers ark state haworth idaho people bunch state eis iowa state hodges state carter ohio per curiam state harris treatise writers share prevailing judicial view passenger may bring fourth amendment challenge legality traffic stop see lafave search seizure pp ed supp either stopping car length passenger detention thereafter passenger removal unreasonable fourth amendment sense surely passenger standing object constitutional violations suppressed evidence found car fruit omitted ringel searches seizures arrests confessions ed law enforcement officer stop automobile results seizure driver passenger contrary conclusion drawn california seizure came formal arrest reflects three premises respectfully disagree first state reasoned brendlin seized stop deputy sheriff brokenbrough intended investigate simeroth direct show authority toward brendlin saw brokenbrough flashing lights directed driver pointed lack record evidence brokenbrough even aware brendlin car prior vehicle stop cal view facts ignores objective mendenhall test reasonable passenger understand extent anything ambiguous show force fairly seen directed driver car occupants test resolves ambiguity leads intuitive conclusion occupants subject like control successful display authority state approach contrary shifts issue intent police objectively manifested motive police taking intentional action stop car repeatedly rejected attempts introduce kind subjectivity fourth amendment analysis see whren subjective intentions play role ordinary fourth amendment analysis chesternut subjective intent officers relevant assessment fourth amendment implications police conduct extent intent conveyed person confronted mendenhall principal opinion disregarding government agent subjective intent detain mendenhall cf rakas rejecting target theory fourth amendment standing allowed criminal defendant search directed challenge legality search internal quotation marks omitted california defends state ruling point citing cases holding seizure requires purposeful deliberate act detention see brief respondent chesternut supra answers argument intent counts fourth amendment intent conveyed person confronted criterion willful restriction freedom movement invitation look subjective intent determining seized recent cases accord point lewis considered whether seizure occurred officer accidentally ran passenger fallen motorcycle chase holding seizure took place stressed officer stopped lewis movement accidentally crashing means intentionally applied emphasis deleted even consider let alone emphasize possibility officer meant detain driver passenger brower contrary dispositive brower meant stopped physical obstacle roadblock stopped california reads language suggest specific occupant car seized must motivating target officer show authority see brief respondent thrust observation brower someone else meant stopped point brower alone target officers detained means intentionally applied car another occupant made sense hold seized car collided roadblock neither case odds holding issue whether reasonable passenger perceived show authority least partly directed thus free ignore police presence go business second california assumed brendlin passenger ability submit deputy show authority driver control moving vehicle cal may amount submission depends person show authority fleeing man seized physically overpowered one sitting chair may submit authority getting run away brendlin effective way signal submission car still moving roadway came stop apparently submit staying inside third state shied away rule apply today fear encompass even motorists following vehicle subject traffic stop virtue original detention forced slow perhaps even come halt order accommodate vehicle submission police authority occupant car knows stuck traffic another car pulled like motorist ca even make road suddenly clogged perceive show authority directed car incidental restrictions freedom movement tend affect individual sense security privacy traveling automobile prouse consequential blockage call precautionary rule avoid kind arbitrary oppressive interference law enforcement officials privacy personal security individuals fourth amendment intended limit indeed consequence worry flow conclusion rule almost courts rejected holding passenger private car without seized traffic stop invite police officers stop cars passengers regardless probable cause reasonable suspicion anything fact evidence uncovered result arbitrary traffic stop still admissible passengers powerful incentive run kind roving patrols still violate driver fourth amendment right see stop search border patrol agents without warrant probable cause violated fourth amendment prouse supra police spot check driver license registration without reasonable suspicion violated fourth amendment brendlin seized moment simeroth car came halt side road error deny suppression motion ground seizure occurred formal arrest state courts consider first instance whether suppression turns issue judgment california vacated case remanded proceedings inconsistent opinion ordered footnotes parties dispute accuracy transcript suppression hearing disagree whether brendlin gave name false name bruce brown app california conceded police officers lacked reasonable suspicion justify traffic stop application renewal expired registration expected temporary operating permit cal quoting brief respondent california sup ct cal course police may also stop car solely investigate passenger conduct see supp md passenger violation local seatbelt law people roth app passenger violation littering ordinance accordingly passenger assume merely fact traffic stop driver conduct cause stop although state inferred brendlin decision open close passenger door traffic stop awar available options cal conduct equally taken indicate brendlin felt compelled remain inside car event test brendlin felt reasonable passenger understood two state courts california stood tide authority see people jackson en banc state mendez en banc california claims today rule taxi cab bus passengers fourth amendment cab bus driver pulled police running red light brief respondent relationship driver passenger common carrier private vehicle expectations police officers passengers differ accordingly cases crucial question whether reasonable person passenger position feel free take steps terminate encounter compare delaware prouse requiring least articulable reasonable suspicion support random investigative traffic stops whren decision stop automobile reasonable police probable cause believe traffic violation occurred atwater lago vista officer probable cause believe individual committed even minor criminal offense presence may without violating fourth amendment arrest offender