Michigan Supreme Court OKs Traffic Stops For Obscured License Plates

LANSING (AP) - The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that police can pull over motorists whose license plates are obstructed by an object such as a bike rack or trailer hitch.

The unanimous opinion filed Tuesday concluded that the Michigan Vehicle Code requires motorists to attach their plates in a place where they can be seen without obstruction.

The high court overturned a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling that suppressed evidence seized from a truck that was pulled over because police couldn't read the license plate. The court reinstated evidence in the felony gun and drug case against Charles Almando-Maurice Dunbar.

Dunbar argues that his Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure were violated. He and his attorney plan to meet Wednesday to discuss whether they want to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.