Which case established the exclusionary rule?

• A. Extended the rule only to federal courts
• B. Weeks v. United States
• C. Miranda v. Arizona
• D. Gideon v. Wainwright

Answer: (B)

The exclusionary rule bars evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment from being used in court. This doctrine was first established by Weeks v. United States, where the Supreme Court held that evidence seized by federal officers in violation of the Fourth Amendment cannot be used to convict in federal court and must be excluded at trial. That ruling created the remedy of suppression and originally applied only to federal prosecutions. The rule was later extended to the states in Mapp v. Ohio, making the protection applicable nationwide.

The other cases address different protections: Miranda v. Arizona concerns warning suspects of their rights before interrogation, and Gideon v. Wainwright guarantees a right to counsel.