The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects citizens and criminal suspects from unreasonable searches of their property and persons, and prohibits police officers from making unlawful arrests ("seizures"). Click on the links below for in-depth information on search and seizure rights.

"Search and Seizure" Basics:
• "Search and Seizure" and the Fourth Amendment
• Understanding Search and Seizure Law
• Searches and Seizures FAQ

Search and Seizure and the Fourth Amendment In-Depth:
• Knowing When an Arrest is Legal
• When the Fourth Amendment Applies
• Search Warrants: What They Are and When They're Necessary
• The Fourth Amendment Warrant Requirement
• The "Reasonableness" Requirement
• The Fourth Amendment and the "Exclusionary Rule"
• U.S. Constitution: The Fourth Amendment
• Sample State Court Decisions on "Search and Seizure"

See also:

• Searches and Seizures: The Limitations of the Police