Excerpt
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures … .” It requires that judges should only issue search warrants “upon probable cause … particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
The requirement for police to obtain a search warrant before entering a person’s house is not universal, however. Over the course of U.S. history, the Supreme Court has carved out a number of exceptions to this rule. For instance, police can enter …
In This Issue
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Warrantless Searches
The Exigency Exception to the Fourth Amendment
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Exigent Circumstances
Justifications for Warrantless Searches by Police
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Inside the Court
Important Cases Before the Highest Tribunal in 2010–11
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Before the Court
The Justices Weigh in on Warrantless Searches
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Lower Court Holding
Decision of the Supreme Court of Kentucky
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Pro & Con
Can Police Enter an Apartment Without a Warrant If they Hear Noises That Make Them Believe Evidence Is Being Destroyed?
