Reading Assignment for Section 5.4

Read the following subsection from our online textbook: Section 5.4: Criminal Procedural Remedies.

Note: This section spans multiple pages, so be sure to review all pages to fully understand the material.

What You Will Learn

In this section, you’ll explore the procedural tools available to protect constitutional rights and ensure fairness in the criminal justice system. You’ll learn about the Exclusionary Rule, the “Fruit of the Poisonous Tree” doctrine, and their exceptions, as well as how suppression hearings challenge the admissibility of evidence. By analyzing key cases and the appellate process, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how these remedies safeguard justice while holding law enforcement accountable.

Student Learning Outcomes for Section 5.4

• SLO 1: Explain the Exclusionary Rule and its purpose in protecting constitutional rights by preventing the use of unlawfully obtained evidence in criminal trials.
• SLO 2: Analyze the legal doctrine of “Fruit of the Poisonous Tree,” including its application and exceptions such as the Independent Source Doctrine, Inevitable Discovery Doctrine, and Attenuation Doctrine.
• SLO 3: Evaluate key Supreme Court cases, including Weeks v. United States (1914), Mapp v. Ohio (1961), and Nix v. Williams (1984), to understand the development and application of the Exclusionary Rule and related doctrines.
• SLO 4: Discuss the role of suppression hearings in challenging the admissibility of evidence and the impact of judicial rulings on the progression of criminal cases.
• SLO 5: Assess the appellate process, including the application of the Harmless Error Doctrine, and explain how appeals influence the enforcement of the Exclusionary Rule in ensuring fairness and accountability in the criminal justice system.