probable cause
"Probable cause" is a key legal standard in the U.S. for justifying arrests, searches, and obtaining warrants, rooted in the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution.
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Definition
C1Criminal Law
(legal, formal, U.S.)Reasonable grounds based on facts and circumstances that would lead a prudent person to believe a crime has been, is being, or will be committed.
Example
- The officer needed probable cause to obtain a search warrant for the suspect's house.
- Without probable cause, the evidence found during the search could be deemed inadmissible in court.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "probable cause":