Kastigar v. United States

Kastigar v. United States (1959) is a Supreme Court case that established the principle that individuals cannot be forced to testify or produce evidence that would incriminate themselves, and the government must prove the evidence was obtained legally and independently of the compelled testimony. The ruling reinforced protection against self-incrimination, emphasizing that the government cannot use evidence gained from forced disclosures to prosecute someone, unless it can demonstrate that the evidence was obtained through legal, alternative means. This decision underscores the constitutional right against self-incrimination, balancing government interests with individual protections.