Which rule states that evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment is not admissible in a criminal trial?

• A. Exclusionary Rule
• B. Fruit of the Poisonous Tree Doctrine
• C. Hot Pursuit Exception
• D. Interrogations

Answer: (A)

Evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment cannot be used in a criminal trial. This principle is the Exclusionary Rule, which protects constitutional rights and deters police misconduct by keeping illegally obtained evidence out of court. A related idea, the Fruit of the Poisonous Tree Doctrine, extends that exclusion to evidence derived from the initial illegality. The Hot Pursuit Exception relates to when officers can act without a warrant in urgent chase situations, not to whether evidence is admissible. Interrogations involve how questioning is conducted and related protections, but they do not set the rule about excluding illegally obtained evidence. So the Exclusionary Rule best answers the question.