Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution

E23846

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects individuals against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government, requiring warrants to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf amendment to the United States Constitution
constitutional amendment
adoptedOn 1791-12-15
alsoKnownAs Amendment IV
amendmentNumber 4
appliesTo federal government of the United States
state governments through the Fourteenth Amendment
authoredBy James Madison
country United States of America
definesConcept reasonable expectation of privacy
enforcedBy exclusionary rule
fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine
exceptionToWarrantRequirement automobile exception
consent search
exigent circumstances doctrine
plain view doctrine
search incident to lawful arrest
stop and frisk under reasonable suspicion
hasLanguage English
influencedBy English common law
opposition to general warrants
opposition to writs of assistance
interpretedBy Supreme Court of the United States
jurisdiction United States federal and state courts
landmarkCase Carpenter v. United States
Illinois v. Gates
Katz v. United States
Mapp v. Ohio
Terry v. Ohio
United States v. Leon
legalStandard probable cause
limits government surveillance
police search powers
locationInDocument Article: Amendments, Section: Bill of Rights
mainConcept privacy rights
search and seizure law
warrant requirement
partOf United States Bill of Rights
United States Constitution
proposedBy First United States Congress
proposedOn 1789-09-25
protectsRight freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures
right to be secure in persons, houses, papers, and effects
ratifiedOn 1791-12-15
requires warrants to be issued upon oath or affirmation
warrants to be supported by probable cause
warrants to particularly describe the persons or things to be seized
warrants to particularly describe the place to be searched
shortName Fourth Amendment
textBeginsWith "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects"


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