The Importance Of The Fourth Amendment

511 Words2 Pages

The Fourth Amendment was created to protect citizens and their privacy against certain types of government interference and the citizens right to privacy (Bohm and Haley, 2011). The Fourth Amendment provides citizens with protection against unlawful searches and seizures of property. In order for an officer to search a citizens person, home, vehicle for the purpose of locating evidence that officer is required to have a search warrant, a written order from the court directing them to search the premises or person. The Judge or magistrate has to be provided probable cause by the officer for them to grant the warrant. Probable cause is sufficient evidence that the objects searched for are connected to criminal activity, and they …show more content…

In certain situations The officer can also legally search the person or property without a warrant, this process is called "exigent circumstances". It is a this time that the officer feels the evidence is in imminent danger Of being destroyed, or to prevent harm to individuals. The Fifth Amendment has several elements in its reading. The Fifth element gives the citizen The right to a Grand Jury indictment and protection against double jeopardy. This means when a Person is charged with a felony crime, they can request to have their case presented before the Grand jury to decide if there is enough evidence for the defendant to have a trial. The protection against double jeopardy is the state has only one chance to convict the defendant of that Particular crime (Bohm and Haley, 2011). This protect citizens from continually being harrassed for a Crime they were not found guility of. Secondly the Fifth Amendent protects the defendant from having to witness against themselves, This is the Protection against Compelled Self Incrimination safeguard (Bohm and Haley, 2011). The Sixth Amendment assures citizens to the right of a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury

More about The Importance Of The Fourth Amendment

Open Document