Question

Evidence collected during an illegal search cannot be used in court based on the

Answer 1

The exclusionary rule — a judicially created doctrine rooted in the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment generally is inadmissible in court (and the related “fruit of the poisonous tree” doctrine excludes evidence derived from illegal searches).

Key cases and common exceptions (brief):
- Weeks v. United States (1914) – exclusionary rule for federal prosecutions; Mapp v. Ohio (1961) – applied it to states.
- Exceptions: good‑faith exception (United States v. Leon), independent source, inevitable discovery (Nix v. Williams), attenuation of the causal connection, and certain knock‑and‑announce or isolated technical violations.