Fourth Amendment Rights

Definition

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government.

Analogy

Imagine you have a secret stash of candy in your room. Your parents can't just barge in and search for it without a good reason - like if they saw you sneaking candy into your room. That's what the Fourth Amendment does; it protects your "room" (or home, property, etc.) from being searched without reasonable cause.

Related terms

Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, outlining basic individual freedoms and protections.

Probable Cause: A reasonable basis for believing that a crime may have been committed (for an arrest) or when evidence of the crime is present in the place to be searched (for a search).

Warrant: A document issued by a legal or government official authorizing law enforcement to make an arrest, search premises, or carry out some other action relating to administration of justice.