Fourth Amendment of the U.S.

Constitution

- The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against
unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon
probable cause, supported by Oath of affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be
searched, and the persons or things to be seized
- The 4
th
Amendment contains 2 critical legal concepts: a prohibition against unreasonable
searches and seizures; and the requirement of probable cause to issue a warrant
- There is no specific definition of reasonable
Search and Seizures
- Searches and Seizures refers to the searching for and the confiscating/seizing of evidence by
the police

Probable Cause
- Reasonable grounds tobelieve the existence of dacts warranting certain actions such as the
search or arrest of a person
- Probably cause exists if there is a substantial likelyhood that:
1 - A crime was commited and
2 The individual commited the crime
- The probable cause must exist when the officer took the action, not later after he finds evidence