Code of Criminal Procedure · U.S. Supreme Court, 1969

Chimel v. California

Chimel v. California is a 1969 U.S. Supreme Court decision. This page summarizes key points and works through practice questions for Texas peace officer exam preparation.

Key points

  • Lawful custodial arrest
  • Search of arrestee's person and immediate control (Chimel)
  • Vehicles (Gant): passenger compartment if arrestee within reaching distance OR evidence of arrest offense reasonably believed inside

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Worked examples

Worked example 1

Search incident to arrest authorizes officers to search:

  1. The arrestee's entire home
  2. The arrestee's person and the area within his immediate control (the 'lunge area') Correct
  3. Only the arrestee's pockets
  4. Anywhere the arrestee has been in the last 24 hours
Why: Search incident to arrest covers the arrestee's person and the area within his immediate control (lunge area). For vehicles (Gant), the passenger compartment may be searched only when the arrestee is unsecured and within reaching distance, OR when there is reason to believe evidence of the offense of arrest may be in the vehicle.
Statute: Chimel v. California; Arizona v. Gant