What are the Rules for Searching a College Student’s Dorm Room?

opening a door with an access pass

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution insures the right of people to be free in their persons, houses, papers, and effects from unreasonable searches and seizures.  Evidence obtained by searches conducted in violation of the Fourth Amendment is inadmissible (i.e., “suppressed” or “thrown out”).  Warrantless searches are generally considered to be unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment, subject to only a few well-recognized exceptions to the search warrant requirement.  The State has the burden of proving the validity of a warrantless search by demonstrating that one of the well-recognized exceptions to the warrant requirement applies.