Plain view doctrine is a rule of criminal procedure which allows an officer to seize evidence of a crime without a warrant when the evidence is clearly visible.

Jul 14, 2017 · The plain view doctrine refers to the concept that so long as criminal evidence or contraband is left out “in plain view,” officers conducting a legal search of a property are within their …

Plain View The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue but upon …

In the United States, the plain view doctrine is an exception to the Fourth Amendment 's warrant requirement [1] that allows an officer to seize evidence and contraband that are found in plain view …

Dec 5, 2025 · Once legally inside, the plain view doctrine allows them to seize incriminating items they encounter without needing a separate warrant for those items. Here, their ability to see is limited by …

6 days ago · Explore *Horton v. California*, the landmark case that clarified the Fourth Amendment’s Plain View Doctrine, detailing the shift from officer intent to lawful access.

Unlike many legal rules that come from specific laws passed by Congress, the plain view doctrine is a “judicially created” exception. This means it was developed by courts through their interpretation of …

There is no requirement that the discovery of evidence in plain view must be inadvertent. See Horton v. California, 496 U.S. 128 (1990) (in spite of Amendment’s particularity requirement, officers with …

The doctrine dictates that three conditions must be met for seizing without warrant evidence in plain view: prior valid entry, inadvertence, and probable cause.

The “plain view” exception to the Fourth Amendment warrant requirement permits a law enforcement officer to seize what clearly is incriminating evidence or contraband when it is discovered in a place …