Amendment IV
Ratified: December 15, 1791
Summary
Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Full Text
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.
History and Context
The Fourth Amendment was born out of the colonists' outrage against 'writs of assistance.' These were general warrants used by British officials to search any house, at any time, for anything, without any specific reason. The lawyer James Otis famously argued against these writs, calling them 'the worst instrument of arbitrary power.' The framers agreed. This amendment establishes a powerful right to privacy, declaring that the people must be secure from government intrusion. It forces the government to have a good reason, and to get specific permission from a judge, before it can invade your life.