Opinion ID: 2552193
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Emergency Exception Doctrine

Text: In Guererri v. State , [4] this Court explained that [u]nder certain limited circumstances, [] police are justified in making a warrantless entry and conducting a search of the premises to provide aid to people or property. [5] One of those limited circumstances is a warrantless search of a house after the occurrence of a violent crime when it is reasonable to believe that dangerous people or victims are on the premisesthe so-called emergency exception doctrine. [6] In applying that doctrine, in Guererri, we replaced a reasonableness inquiry with a three-part test. [7] In Guererri, we held that to establish the legality of a warrantless search under the emergency exception doctrine, the State must show, by a preponderance of the evidence, the following: first, [t]he police must have reasonable grounds to believe that there is an emergency at hand and an immediate need for their assistance for the protection of life or property; second, [t]he search must not be primarily motivated by intent to arrest and seize evidence; third, [t]here must be some reasonable basis, approximating probable cause, to associate the emergency with the area or place to be searched. [8] In Guererri, we applied the new three-part test to the facts of that case. We later applied the Guererri framework in Blake v. State . [9] The first part of the Guererri test is not at issue here. [10] With regard to the second part, in Guererri, we explained that officers must conduct the search primarily to achieve a community caretaking function, rather than to pursue a law enforcement objective. [11] The community caretaking function includes a concern for the health and safety of any people that might be found in the searched area. [12] In explaining the third part of the Guererri test, we held that there must be a direct relationship between the area to be searched and the emergency, [13] and the search may include not only a search of the premises to find people in need of aid, but also a protective sweep to ensure that no further danger is present. [14] We also explained that the scope of a warrantless search under the emergency aid exception is limited to those areas necessary to respond to the perceived emergency. [15]