True or False: A search incident to exigent circumstances must stop once the exigency has abated.

A search incident to exigent circumstances refers to situations where law enforcement officers need to act quickly to prevent the destruction of evidence, the escape of a suspect, or some other critical situation that could compromise public safety or an ongoing investigation. In such cases, the normal requirements of obtaining a warrant may not apply due to the urgency of the situation.

Once the exigency has abated—that is, once the emergency that justified the search has passed—the legal justification for continuing the search no longer exists. Therefore, officers are required to stop the search. Continuing a search after the exigent circumstances are no longer present could violate the individual's Fourth Amendment rights, which protect against unreasonable searches and seizures.

This principle emphasizes the importance of the temporality of exigent circumstances in justifying a warrantless search. Once the immediate threat is resolved, law enforcement must either secure a warrant to continue their search or terminate their activities in that context.