What is The Exclusionary Rule and are there any exceptions?
The Exclusionary Rule requires the suppression at trial of evidence obtained directly or indirectly through government violations of the fourth, fifth, or sixth amendment. There are several exceptions to the rule. The Supreme Court held that evidence need not be suppressed when police obtained the evidence through objective good faith reliance on information that is later found to lack probable cause. Furthermore, even if police engaged in illegal investigatory activity, evidence will be admissible if it was discovered through a source independent of illegality. Finally, the court may admit illegally obtained evidence if the evidence inevitably would have been discovered through independent lawful means.
