Bill of Rights and Show the Constitutional Limits of This Amendment

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Write a 500 word essay -- Pick one of the Bill of Rights and show the Constitutional limits of this amendment. Complete and save your essay in your word processor (Microsoft Word, WordPerfect etc). Remember to do a spelling and grammar check. It is always a good idea to have a proofreader check your work as well. The amendment I chose to cover is the Fourth Amendment which states, “ The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” This amendment essentially stops anyone of authority from unwarranted confiscation or even the unwarranted search through private areas such as homes or vehicles for anything at all. Without probable cause or warrant there is never a circumstance where your possessions should be looked through or seized. This amendment is very important because it goes hand in hand with the innocent until proven guilty. The only way around this is probable cause and that is where it gets tricky. If someone of authority believes you may have something dangerous or you show signs of something illegal on you or your property such as in a vehicle they can then search your property. Also when being detained they would be authorized to search you and your possessions. The limits of this amendment get complicated with privacy. The biggest limit of this amendment is the fact that it only protects a “legitimate expectation of privacy”. The fourth amendment does not provide any protection for things that are in plain view such as when an officer looks into a car and can see what is sitting in the passenger seat. A good example of where an officer would not be able to

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