Justices seem OK with car stop over owner’s invalid license

(AP) The Supreme Court seems ready to say police may pull over a car when they know only that its owner’s license is not valid.

The justices indicated in arguments Monday that they would reverse a Kansas high court ruling that found police violated a driver’s constitutional rights when they stopped his pickup based only on information that the truck owner’s license had been suspended.

Chief Justice John Roberts was among justices who suggested that the common-sense view that the owner would be driving was enough to justify the traffic stop.

The Supreme Court has previously ruled that police face a relatively low burden known as “reasonable suspicion” to stop and question people.