Misty Basford
Kaplan University
Plain View Doctrine
This rule gives police officers the ability to seize evidence involved in a crime without a warrant if the evidence is in plain sight. This rule is limited by probable cause which requires police officers to have probable cause and believe the items in plain view are evidence before they seize them. The fourth amendment does prevent unreasonable searches and seizures.
There are two ways the rule can be used. 1. The officer is at the place where the seized item(s) is in plain view. 2. The incriminating object is immediately apparent. An example of this would be if an officer was called to a domestic call and one person had been shot and the other person was there and