The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that a drug-sniffing dog’s involvement in a traffic stop did not violate the defendants’ Fourth Amendment rights, reversing earlier decisions from the trial and appellate courts.

The case began after police stopped two men for a lane change violation. During a routine identity check, the officer’s K-9 unit detected drugs, leading to the discovery of nearly ten pounds of marijuana. The defendants argued that the stop was unlawfully prolonged while waiting for dispatch to verify an out-of-state license.