What is true about the exclusionary rule?

• A. Evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment is generally inadmissible.
• B. All evidence obtained is admissible.
• C. The rule applies only to traffic violations.
• D. It requires a conviction before applying.

Answer: (A)

Evidence obtained through a search or seizure that violates the Fourth Amendment is generally not allowed to be used in court. This is the exclusionary rule, and it serves to protect constitutional rights by keeping illegally obtained evidence out of the prosecution’s hands. The statement above best reflects the rule’s core idea: such evidence is generally inadmissible. It’s not limited to traffic stops or to all evidence being admissible, and it doesn’t require a conviction first—suppression can occur regardless of the case’s outcome, though there are exceptions like good-faith, inevitable discovery, independent source, and attenuation that can sometimes permit evidence to be used.