Final answer:
The Fourth Amendment limits how evidence can be gathered for use in a criminal proceeding by requiring a search warrant from a judge, except for some exceptions. These exceptions include consent searches, exigent circumstances, and searches incident to an arrest.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution provides protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. It limits how evidence can be gathered for use in a criminal proceeding by requiring that officers and agents of the government obtain a search warrant from a judge before conducting a search or taking evidence, with a few exceptions.
The search warrant can only be granted if there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed and that the evidence sought will be found in the place to be searched. This requirement helps safeguard against unwarranted invasions of privacy.
However, there are some exceptions to the search warrant requirement, such as in cases of consent searches, exigent circumstances, and searches incident to arrest. In these exceptional situations, officers may gather evidence without a warrant, but it must still be within the bounds of reasonableness.
Learn more about Fourth Amendment and limitations on evidence gathering