Under Terry v. Ohio, a frisk may be conducted when which condition is met?

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Multiple Choice

Under Terry v. Ohio, a frisk may be conducted when which condition is met?

The essential idea is that a frisk is allowed to protect the officer’s safety only when there is a reasonable belief that the person is armed and dangerous. This belief must be based on the totality of the circumstances and not on a mere hunch; it justifies a brief pat-down of outer clothing to check for weapons, not a full search. Consent to search would open the door to a search, but that’s a separate authorization, not the condition that authorizes a frisk. A suspect’s hand position alone isn’t enough to justify the frisk, unless it contributes to a reasonable belief of danger, which must be grounded in objective circumstances.

The essential idea is that a frisk is allowed to protect the officer’s safety only when there is a reasonable belief that the person is armed and dangerous. This belief must be based on the totality of the circumstances and not on a mere hunch; it justifies a brief pat-down of outer clothing to check for weapons, not a full search. Consent to search would open the door to a search, but that’s a separate authorization, not the condition that authorizes a frisk. A suspect’s hand position alone isn’t enough to justify the frisk, unless it contributes to a reasonable belief of danger, which must be grounded in objective circumstances.

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