You don't have to say yes when a cop asks to search your car

Here's the thing nobody tells you about traffic stops. When an officer says 'you don't mind if I take a look, right?' — that is not a question. That is a test. [pause] The phrasing is casual, almost like it's already settled. And almost everyone says yes. The moment you do, that's consent. Legally valid. The Fourth Amendment just stepped out of the room. [pause] You had every right to say no. 'I don't consent to a search.' That's it. No explanation needed. And here's what most people don't know — refusing a search cannot be used as evidence of guilt. Courts have been clear on that. [pause] I had a client. Routine stop. Officer asked if he minded. He didn't want to seem difficult. He said sure. What they found became the centerpiece of the case against him. [pause] By the time he got to me, the search had already happened. Nothing left to argue. One word — sure — and the Fourth Amendment was gone. Know the line before you're standing at it.