Which is a major exception to the exclusionary rule?

• A. Hearsay exception.
• B. Best evidence exception.
• C. Good-faith exception.
• D. Public records exception.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that the exclusionary rule bars evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment, but there is a major exception: the good-faith exception. This allows the use of evidence obtained by police who act with objective good faith and reasonably rely on a search warrant, a statute, or a binding judicial opinion that is later found to be defective. The rationale is practical: punishing honest officers for a magistrate’s error would undermine legitimate investigations and reward potential judicial mistakes. United States v. Leon established this principle, showing that when officers reasonably believed they were acting lawfully, the evidence they collected can still be admitted.

The good-faith exception does not apply if officers knew the warrant was invalid or acted with reckless disregard for the truth, or if the magistrate’s or the system’s own lack of probable cause renders reliance unreasonable.

The other options are not about the exclusionary rule. They are exceptions to the hearsay rule and concern whether out-of-court statements or documents are admissible, not whether tainted evidence can be admitted due to reasonable reliance on a warrant.