Rutherford v. United States

Rutherford v. United States (1952) is a Supreme Court case that clarified the scope of the federal government's power to search private property. The Court ruled that law enforcement needs a valid warrant or the owner’s consent to search private property unless an exception applies. In this case, the Court emphasized individuals' Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and set limits on government authority, reinforcing that searches without proper legal procedures violate constitutional protections. The decision helped define the balance between law enforcement interests and individual privacy rights.