To Sniff or Not to Sniff: Conducting Dog Sniffs during Routine Traffic Stops

摘要

To take some creative freedom with respect to Shakespeare's oft-quoted line from Hamlet, "To sniff or not to sniff, that is the question." This is particularly true in the context of conducting dog sniffs during routine traffic stops. The recent decision issued by the U.S. Supreme Court in Rodriguez v. United States makes it imperative to consider the following question: When is it lawful to use dog sniffs during the course of a routine traffic stop? The answer can be found in both the recent Rodriguez decision and the 2005 decision in Illinois v. Caballes.