Plain-view doctrine
Definition
A rule permitting an officer who is lawfully present in a location to seize evidence whose incriminating character is immediately apparent, without a warrant covering that specific item. The officer must be there lawfully; the doctrine does not permit entry without authority in order to discover evidence.
Related terms
- Chain of custody
- The documented chronological record of who collected, handled, transferred, and examined a piece of evidence. For digital evidence, chain of custody includes...
- Exclusionary rule
- A rule that evidence obtained in violation of constitutional or statutory search-and-seizure requirements cannot be used at trial. Applied strictly and automatically...
- Fruit of the poisonous tree
- A US doctrine extending the exclusionary rule: not only is unlawfully obtained evidence itself excluded, but any further evidence discovered as a...
- Probable cause / reasonable grounds
- The standard of suspicion required before a warrant may issue or a warrantless search may occur. In US law, probable cause requires...
- Search warrant
- A judicial order authorising officers to enter and search a specified place and seize specified items. In most systems it must describe...
Explained in
- Search, Seizure and the Forensic ExhibitA rule permitting an officer who is lawfully present in a location to seize evidence whose incriminating character is immediately apparent, without a warrant c...