Origin Established at the federal level by Weeks v United States (1914); extended to bind state courts through the Fourteenth Amendment by Mapp v Ohio (1961).
The exclusionary rule is a United States constitutional law doctrine that bars the use at trial of evidence obtained in violation of a defendant's constitutional rights, together with evidence derived from it, so that the government cannot benefit from its own constitutional violation. It is grounded in the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures and was established at the federal level by Weeks v United States (1914); Mapp v Ohio (1961) extended the rule to bind state courts as well, through the Fourteenth Amendment's due process guarantee, after most states had previously rejected it. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Origin PeriodEstablished at the federal level by Weeks v United States (1914); extended to bind state courts through the Fourteenth Amendment by Mapp v Ohio (1961). 1 Core PrincipleEvidence obtained in violation of a defendant's constitutional rights, and evidence derived from it, is inadmissible against that defendant at trial, so that the government may not benefit from its own constitutional violation. 1 Core PrincipleThe rule is not absolute: under the good-faith exception, evidence obtained by police officers who relied in good faith (bona fides) on a search warrant later found defective may still be admitted, notwithstanding the rule's ordinary bar. 1 Origin Period
Origin Period (category)20th Century (1900-1999) 1 Connections
Associated With
The good-faith exception is a named exception narrowing the exclusionary rule.
The independent source doctrine is a named exception narrowing the exclusionary rule.
The inevitable discovery doctrine is a named exception narrowing the exclusionary rule.
Established By
Source Mapp v Ohio (Wikipedia)
Source Weeks v United States (Wikipedia)
In Legal System
Source Exclusionary Rule (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Exclusionary Rule (Wikipedia)
Definition and landmark cases sections
In the United States, the exclusionary rule is a legal rule, based on constitutional law, that prevents evidence collected or analyzed in violation of the defendant's constitutional rights from being used in a court of law.
Definition section
a legal rule, based on constitutional law, that prevents evidence collected or analyzed in violation of the defendant's constitutional rights from being used in a court of law
Landmark cases section
It was not until Mapp v. Ohio in 1961 that the exclusionary rule was also held to be binding on the states through the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees due process.
Limitations section, good-faith exception
Good faith exception: If police officers acting in good faith (bona fides) rely upon a defective search warrant, then the evidence acquired may still be used under the good-faith exception.
- In Category: Doctrines
- In Legal System: Law of the United States
View the SourceWeeks v United States (Wikipedia)
WikipediaEstablished By: Weeks v United States, Lede (federal exclusionary rule sentence)Quote, Established By: Weeks v United States, Lede (federal exclusionary rule sentence)
It also prevented local officers from securing evidence by means prohibited under the federal exclusionary rule and giving it to their federal colleagues.
Mapp v Ohio (Wikipedia)
WikipediaEstablished By: Mapp v Ohio, Infobox (Holding field, doctrine-edge citation)Quote, Established By: Mapp v Ohio, Infobox (Holding field, doctrine-edge citation)
The Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures, as applied to the states through the Fourteenth, excludes unconstitutionally obtained evidence from use in criminal prosecutions. Ohio Supreme Court reversed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the exclusionary rule prevent?
It keeps evidence gathered in violation of a defendant's constitutional rights out of court.
In the United States, the exclusionary rule is a legal rule, based on constitutional law, that prevents evidence collected or analyzed in violation of the defendant's constitutional rights from being used in a court of law.
What is the fruit of the poisonous tree?
Evidence that stemmed from an illegal action, which can be excluded.
In strict cases, when an illegal action is used by the police or the prosecution to gain any incriminating result, all evidence whose recovery stemmed from the illegal action is known as fruit of the poisonous tree, and it can be thrown out from a jury.
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