Criminal Law Fundamentals Flashcards
6 cards from real State Trooper practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Criminal Law Fundamentals flashcards as text
Under Terry v. Ohio, what level of suspicion is required for a stop and frisk?
Answer: Reasonable suspicion based on articulable facts
Terry stops require reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot, based on specific and articulable facts.
What is the 'plain view' doctrine as it applies to evidence seizure?
Answer: Officers may seize evidence visible from a lawful vantage point without a warrant
The plain view doctrine allows seizure of evidence that is clearly visible to an officer who is lawfully present.
Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects against cruel and unusual punishment?
Answer: Eighth Amendment
The Eighth Amendment prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment.
A trooper discovers evidence of a different crime while executing a valid search warrant. Can the evidence be seized?
Answer: Yes, under the plain view doctrine if the criminal nature is immediately apparent
Evidence of other crimes discovered in plain view during a lawful search may be seized without an additional warrant.
What is the legal significance of 'exigent circumstances' in law enforcement?
Answer: They allow warrantless entry when there is an emergency requiring immediate action
Exigent circumstances are emergency situations that justify warrantless searches or entries to prevent harm or evidence destruction.
What does the doctrine of 'inevitable discovery' mean in the context of evidence law?
Answer: Illegally obtained evidence is admissible if it would have been found through lawful means eventually
The inevitable discovery doctrine is an exception to the exclusionary rule, allowing tainted evidence if it would have been lawfully discovered anyway.