Which exception to the exclusionary rule allows admissibility of evidence obtained through a defective warrant if police acted in good faith?

• A. Fruit of the poisonous tree
• B. Plain view doctrine
• C. Inevitable discovery
• D. Good faith exception

Answer: (D)

The good faith exception to the exclusionary rule says that evidence gathered under a warrant can be admitted even if the warrant is later found defective, as long the police acted with a genuine belief that the warrant was valid and relied on it reasonably. This preserves deterrence against misconduct while not penalizing the public for magistrate error, provided the officers’ reliance was reasonable and they had no reason to doubt the warrant’s validity. It won’t apply if the warrant is so obviously defective that no reasonable officer would rely on it, or if officers lied or concealed information to obtain it, or their conduct exceeded the scope of the warrant. The other doctrines don’t fit this scenario: plain view focuses on items observed in plain sight during lawful action; inevitable discovery allows admission if the evidence would have been discovered by lawful means anyway; and fruit of the poisonous tree refers to the broader exclusion principle, not an exception based on good faith.