Police may not use drug-sniffing dogs on a person's property without first obtaining a search warrant, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday.

By a 5-4 vote, the justices held that the use of the dogs outside a man's home in Florida constituted an unreasonable search. Only after the dog detected illegal substances was a warrant obtained.

“The police cannot, without a warrant based on probable cause, hang around on the lawn or in the side garden, trawling for evidence and perhaps peering into the windows of the home,” Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for the majority.

Get the Story:
Court says drug dog’s sniff at front door is unconstitutional search (AP 3/26)
Justices, Citing Ban on Unreasonable Searches, Limit Use of Drug-Sniffing Dogs (The New York Times 3/27)

Supreme Court Decision:
Florida v. Jardines (March 26, 2013)