Challenge Your Exam Readiness With Our Free Certified Paralegal Practice Questions

The exclusionary rule suppresses evidence obtained in violation of constitutional protections—principally the Fourth Amendment’s ban on unreasonable searches and seizures—when offered in the prosecution’s case-in-chief. Exceptions include independent source, inevitable discovery, and attenuation of the taint. Good-faith reliance on a facially valid warrant may also avoid exclusion. Miranda violations may exclude unwarned statements, though physical fruits can sometimes be admitted depending on circumstances. The rule is aimed at deterring police misconduct; however, courts balance deterrence against societal costs. Paralegals analyzing police reports, warrants, and affidavits help attorneys identify suppression issues and prepare motions. The CP exam tests recognition of search-and-seizure doctrines, exceptions, and the scope of suppression, including standing and the application of the fruit-of-the-poisonous-tree doctrine.