The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. When police violate these protections, evidence may be excluded from trial.
Key Takeaways
- Warrantless searches are presumptively unreasonable
- Exceptions exist (consent, exigent circumstances, etc.)
- Illegally obtained evidence can be suppressed
- Fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine
Common Exceptions
- Search incident to arrest
- Consent searches
- Plain view doctrine
- Automobile exception
- Exigent circumstances
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