What landmark case allows police to search a vehicle without a warrant based on probable cause?

The landmark case that allows police to search a vehicle without a warrant based on probable cause is Carroll vs. United States. This 1925 Supreme Court decision established the "automobile exception" to the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement. The court determined that due to the inherent mobility of vehicles and the lesser expectation of privacy in vehicles compared to homes, law enforcement officers are allowed to conduct a search without a warrant if they have probable cause to believe that a vehicle contains evidence of a crime.

In essence, this case underscored the idea that the urgency and potential for loss of evidence in a moving vehicle justify a warrantless search when officers have sufficient probable cause. The ruling has had a lasting impact on law enforcement practices regarding vehicle searches and continues to be a vital aspect of criminal procedure. The other cases listed pertain to different legal principles that do not involve the warrantless search of vehicles based on probable cause.