Colorado v. Bertine

{{Infobox SCOTUS case

|Litigants=Colorado v. Bertine

|ArgueDate=November 10

|ArgueYear=1986

|DecideDate=January 14

|DecideYear=1987

|FullName=Colorado v. Steven Lee Bertine

|USVol=479

|USPage=367

|ParallelCitations=107 S. Ct. 738; 93 L. Ed. 2d 739

|Docket=85-889

|OralArgument=https://www.oyez.org/cases/1986/85-889

|OpinionAnnouncement=

|Prior=People v. Bertine, 706 P.2d [https://law.justia.com/cases/colorado/supreme-court/1985/84sa331-0.html 411] (Colo. 1985); cert. granted, {{ussc|475|1081|1986|el=no}}.

|Procedural=

|Subsequent=

|Holding=The Fourth Amendment does not prohibit the State from proving the criminal charges with the evidence discovered during the inventory search of respondent's van.

|Majority=Rehnquist

|JoinMajority=White, Blackmun, Powell, Stevens, O'Connor, Scalia

|Concurrence=Blackmun

|JoinConcurrence=Powell, O'Connor

|Dissent=Marshall

|JoinDissent=Brennan

|LawsApplied=U.S. Const. amend. IV

}}

Colorado v. Bertine, 479 U.S. 367 (1987), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that the Fourth Amendment does not prohibit the State from proving charges with the evidence discovered during an inventory search.{{ussc|name=Colorado v. Bertine|volume=479|page=367|pin=369|year=1987}}.

This case is controlled by the principles governing inventory searches of automobiles and of an arrestee's personal effects, as set forth in South Dakota v. Opperman,{{ussc|name=South Dakota v. Opperman|link=|volume=428|page=364|pin=|year=1976}}. and Illinois v. Lafayette,{{ussc|name=Illinois v. Lafayette|link=|volume=462|page=640|pin=|year=1983}}. rather than those governing searches of closed trunks and suitcases conducted solely for the purpose of investigating criminal conduct. United States v. Chadwick,{{ussc|name=United States v. Chadwick|link=|volume=433|page=1|pin=|year=1977}}. and Arkansas v. Sanders,{{ussc|name=Arkansas v. Sanders|link=|volume=442|page=753|pin=|year=1979}}. distinguished.