Gouled v. United States
| Gouled v. United States | |
|---|---|
| Argued January 4, 1921 Decided February 28, 1921 | |
| Full case name | Gouled v. United States |
| Citations | 255 U.S. 298 (more) |
| Case history | |
| Subsequent | Conviction reversed; new trial ordered, Gouled v. United States, 273 F. 2d 506 |
| Holding | |
| It is a violation of the Fourth Amendment to seize evidence through social trickery or stealth. It is a violation of a defendant's Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination to admit evidence obtained in such manner. The government may not seize evidence that is not contraband, stolen, or a tool of the crime. | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinion | |
| Majority | Clarke, joined by unanimous |
| Laws applied | |
| U.S. Const. amend. IV, U.S. Const. amend. V | |
Overruled by | |
| Warden v. Hayden | |
Gouled v. United States, 255 U.S. 298 (1921), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the court unanimously held that the government may not seize evidence by use of stealth or social trickery.
The case expanded on Boyd v. United States to establish the now-defunct mere evidence rule, which stated that the government may not seize property solely useful as evidence.