Schmerber v. California

Schmerber v. California (1966) is a Supreme Court case that addressed whether police can draw blood from a suspect without their consent as part of criminal investigation. The Court ruled that such a warrantless blood test violated the Fifth Amendment's protection against self-incrimination unless authorities obtained a valid warrant. The decision established that the government must respect individuals’ constitutional rights and that obtaining evidence through invasive means like blood tests requires proper judicial approval, balancing law enforcement needs with personal privacy rights.