admissible evidence

For evidence to be admissible in a criminal prosecution it generally must have been obtained legally—with a search warrant, or based on an exception to the search warrant requirement, such as consent to search—and be relevant and reliable.

In Michigan, as in other states, evidence must be obtained legally to be admissible in a criminal prosecution. This means that law enforcement officers typically need to have a valid search warrant before conducting a search and seizing evidence. However, there are exceptions to this requirement, such as when an individual gives consent to a search, when evidence is in plain view, during a search incident to a lawful arrest, or in exigent circumstances where there is no time to obtain a warrant. Additionally, the evidence must be relevant to the case, meaning it must have some bearing on the crime being prosecuted, and it must be reliable, indicating that it is trustworthy and has integrity. If evidence is obtained illegally, it may be excluded from the trial under the exclusionary rule, which is a legal principle that prevents the government from using most evidence gathered in violation of the United States Constitution.

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Criminal procedure