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... > social science subjects > politics and international relations > political science > American politics and society > Fourth Amendment > Fourth Amendment issues > plain view doctrine
... > social science subjects > criminology and criminal justice > criminology > law enforcement > policing > police procedures > plain view doctrine

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plain view doctrine  

Definition

  • The plain view doctrine states that a police officer who is legally in a position to see an item may seize it without a search warrant, so long as the item is immediately recognizable as contraband or evidence subject to seizure. Plain view is a recognized exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment, as there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in items left out in the open. [Source: Encyclopedia of the Fourth Amendment; Plain View Doctrine]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/plain_view_doctrine

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