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STATE BY STATE
As of Late 2002


Alabama   Yes   515 So.2d 149 (Ala Cr. 1987)
Alaska   No   No statutory provision or case law decision.
Arizona   Yes   691 P.2d 1073 (Ariz. 1984)
Arkansas   Yes   827 S.W.2d 157 (Ark. 1992)
California   Yes   743 P.2d 1299 (Cal. 1987)
Colorado   Yes   803 P.2d 483 (Colo. 1990)
Connecticut   Yes   671 A.2d 834 (Conn.App.CT. 1996)

Delaware   Yes   See 621 A.2d 804 (Del. Super Ct. 1992).1 The courts have not directly upheld their constitutionality under the state constitution.

District of Columbia   Yes   See 629 A.2d 1 (D.C. 1993)2
Florida   Yes   483 So.2d 433 (Fla. 1985)
Georgia   Yes   318 S.E.2d 693 (Ga. App. Ct. 1984)
Hawaii   Yes   H.R.S. 286-162.5, 286-162.6
Idaho   No   756 P.2d 1057 (Idaho 1988)
Illinois   Yes   486 N.E.2d 880 (Ill. 1985)
Indiana   Yes   500 N.E.2d 158 (Ind. 1986)
Iowa   Yes   377 N.W.2d 242 (Iowa App.Ct. 1985)
Kansas   Yes   673 P.2d 1174 (Kan. 1983)
Kentucky   Yes   660 S.W.2d 677 (Ky. 1984)
Louisiana   No   523 So.2d 1293 (La. 1988)
Maine   Yes   551 A.2d 116 (Me. 1988)
Maryland   Yes    479 A.2d 903 (Md. 1984)
Massachusetts   Yes   521 N.E.2d 987 (Mass. 1988)
Michigan   No   506 N.W.2d 209 (Mich. 1993)
Minnesota   No   519 N.W.2d 183 (Minn. 1994)

Mississippi   Yes   The issue had not been addressed directly, but see 506 So.2d 254 (1987), holding that police may stop a vehicle which evades a roadblock. See also 150 So.2d 512 (1963), upholding license checks.

Missouri   Yes   755 S.W.2d 624 (Mo. App. 1988)

Montana   Yes   "Safety spot checks" are authorized by Mont. Code Ann. 46-5502. The statute authorizes checks for licenses, registration, insurance, and identification3.

Nebraska   Yes   383 N.W.2d 461 (Neb.1986). Checkpoints may be allowed if proper standards are followed.

Nevada   Yes   This issue has not been addressed directly, but Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. 484.359 allows for administrative roadblocks. They are defined as stops conducted for lawful purposes, other than identifying the occupants or emergency.

New Hampshire   Yes   N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 265:1-a. Though originally held to be unconstitutional, the Justices subsequently issued an opinion endorsing checkpoints. They are valid under the state constitution only with superior court order.

New Jersey   Yes   567 A.2d 277 (N.J. Super. 1989)

New Mexico   Yes   735 P.2d 1161 (N.M. App. 1987); 908 P.2d 756 (N.M. App. 1995). They are generally valid under the state constitution, but the facts of each roadblock must be examined.

New York   Yes   473 N.E.2d 1 (N.Y. 1984)
North Carolina   Yes   N.C. Gen. Stat. 20-16.3A. Roadblocks that comply with this statute have been held constitutional.
North Dakota   Yes   513 N.W.2d 373 (N.D. 1994)
Ohio   Yes   651 N.E.2d 46 (Ohio App. 10 Dist.1994)
Oklahoma   Yes   884 P.2d 1218 (Okla. App. 1994)
Oregon   No   743 P.2d 711 (Or. 1987)
Pennsylvania   Yes   535 A.2d 1035 (Pa. 1987)
Rhode Island   No   561 A.2d 1348 (R.I. 1989)
South Carolina   Yes   Follows federal guidelines outlined in Michigan v. Sitz, 486 U.S. 444(1990)
South Dakota   Yes   522 N.W.2d 196 (S.D. 1994)

Tennessee   Yes   1988 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 725; 1995 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 836. Valid under the state constitution if conducted properly.

Texas   No   887 S.W.2d (Tex. Crim. App. 1994). They are not permissible in Texas under the federal constitution only because Texas has no statutory scheme authorizing them.

Utah   Yes
Vermont   Yes   496 A.2d 442 (Vt. 1985)
Virginia   Yes   337 S.E.2d 273 (Va. 1985)
Washington   No   755 P.2d 775 (Wash. 1988)

West Virginia    Yes   460 S.E.2d 48 (W.Va. 1995). They are constitutional when conducted with in predetermined guidelines.

Wisconsin   No   Wis. Stat. 349.02(2)(a) prohibits sobriety checkpoints.
Wyoming   No   Wyo. Stat. 7-17-101 et seq. 6



In states where sobriety checkpoints are prohibited, the reasons vary as to why they aren't allowed. Eleven states currently prohibit any type of sobriety checkpoint.
 
 
 


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