The process through which state governments would hand over illegally seized evidence for use in federal prosecutions is known as ______.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct term is the "silver platter doctrine," which historically referred to the practice where state law enforcement officers would collect evidence through means that violated the suspect's federal constitutional rights (such as the Fourth Amendment) and then hand it over to federal authorities for use in federal prosecutions. This practice was effectively allowed until it was limited by the Supreme Court decision in Elkins v. United States (1960), which extended the exclusionary rule to evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment by state officers and handed over to federal officers.

The Process Through Which State Governments Would Hand Over Illegally