Court Opinion

ID: 9656017
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 19:31:00.840852+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:13:26.642426
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Justice,
concurring specially.
Although I believe reliance on the “plain view” doctrine for the seizure of the contraband may be technically incorrect [see State v. Planz, 304 N.W.2d 74 (N.D.1981)], I concur in the result reached by the majority opinion. Because Koskela had no reasonable expectation of privacy with regard to items which were visible through the window of his automobile, there was no intrusion into a constitutionally protected area and the “plain view” doctrine is not applicable. However, the officer seizing the contraband was legally in a position to seize the contraband and that seizure concerned the very item which had given the officer the requisite probable cause to arrest Koskela. Therefore, there is nothing to prohibit the seizure of the contraband. State v. Planz, supra.