Which principle did Terry v. Ohio establish?

Which principle did Terry v. Ohio establish?

• A. Stop and frisk is permissible if the officer has reasonable suspicion that a crime is about to occur.
• B. Police may search any person they stop without probable cause.
• C. Only searches with a warrant are allowed during a stop.
• D. Interrogation must be documented in writing.

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is the Terry stop: police may briefly detain a person and perform a protective pat-down for weapons when they have reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and involved in criminal activity. This rule, from Terry v. Ohio, allows a quick, safety-focused check rather than a full-blown search or an arrest based on probable cause. The stop must be temporary and the frisk limited to discovering weapons; it’s not a blanket search of someone’s belongings and it doesn’t require a warrant. Reasonable suspicion must be specific and articulable, not just a gut feeling. So the best choice states exactly that the stop and frisk are permissible with reasonable suspicion that a crime is about to occur, aligning with the Terry framework. The other statements misstate the scope or requirements—for example, stopping and searching without any restraint beyond reasonable suspicion, requiring a warrant for searches during a stop, or tying interrogation to a written record—none capture the Terry rule as it balances officer safety with individual rights.

The key idea here is the Terry stop: police may briefly detain a person and perform a protective pat-down for weapons when they have reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and involved in criminal activity. This rule, from Terry v. Ohio, allows a quick, safety-focused check rather than a full-blown search or an arrest based on probable cause. The stop must be temporary and the frisk limited to discovering weapons; it’s not a blanket search of someone’s belongings and it doesn’t require a warrant. Reasonable suspicion must be specific and articulable, not just a gut feeling. So the best choice states exactly that the stop and frisk are permissible with reasonable suspicion that a crime is about to occur, aligning with the Terry framework. The other statements misstate the scope or requirements—for example, stopping and searching without any restraint beyond reasonable suspicion, requiring a warrant for searches during a stop, or tying interrogation to a written record—none capture the Terry rule as it balances officer safety with individual rights.