warrant invalidated

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Definition - What does warrant invalidated mean?

Warrant invalidated is a term used to describe when a judge in a criminal trial rules that the warrant violates the defendant's Fourth Amendment rights and renders the evidence obtained in the execution of the warrant as inadmissible. The reason for this may be that the warrant did not sufficiently specify the place to be searched or the person or items to be taken into custody.

SureHire explains warrant invalidated

The Fourth Amendment protects a person's right to privacy by preventing unreasonable searches of their property or person. If officers of the law suspect a person of a criminal offense, they must obtain a valid warrant before performing a search of the person or related property unless mitigating circumstances allow an immediate search. A warrant may be invalidated if the following conditions are not met: the warrant application is made in good faith and is granted by an impartial judge, the warrant specifies the place to be searched and the people or items to be taken into custody, the probable cause on which the warrant is based must be from a trustworthy source.

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