"Open Fields" Doctrine

What is "Open Fields" Doctrine?

A legal doctrine that provides that a "warrantless search of the area outside a property owner's curtilage" does not violate the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Further Reading

For more detailed information, see our related Constitutional Law terms:

• Motor Vehicle Searches
• Inherent Powers
• Article III of the U.S. Constitution
• Mere Suspicion
• Expectation of Privacy