In the United States v. Sharpe et al., 1984, the Supreme Court ruled that a police stop exceeding 20 minutes did not violate Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures if it was justified by law enforcement needs. The case involved two suspects who were stopped separately for suspected drug trafficking after they were seen driving in tandem on a highway. One suspect was detained for approximately 20 minutes before his vehicle was searched and marijuana found; the other fled but was apprehended about an hour later with marijuana in his possession as well. The defendants argued their prolonged detention violated their Fourth Amendment rights, but lower courts disagreed, leading to an appeal at the Supreme Court level where it affirmed these rulings.

In the dissenting opinion for United States v. Sharpe, Justice Marshall argued that the prolonged detention of Sharpe and Savage violated their Fourth Amendment rights. He contended that while an initial stop may have been justified under Terry v. Ohio, which allows brief investigatory stops based on reasonable suspicion, the 20-minute delay exceeded what is permissible under this precedent. The majority's decision to allow such a lengthy detention without probable cause fundamentally misinterpreted Terry and expanded police powers in a way that threatens individual liberties. Furthermore, he disagreed with the majority's view that law enforcement officers should be given leeway when making split-second decisions; instead arguing they must adhere strictly to constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.