Legal Definitions - Calandra rule

The Calandra rule is a legal doctrine that allows a grand-jury witness to be forced to answer questions about certain items, even if those items were obtained illegally by the police. This rule was established in the case of United States v. Calandra in 1974.

For example, let's say that the police illegally searched someone's home and found evidence of a crime. Even though the evidence was obtained illegally, a grand-jury witness could still be asked about that evidence and forced to answer questions about it under the Calandra rule.

This rule is controversial because it allows evidence obtained through illegal means to be used in certain circumstances. However, it is seen as necessary to ensure that grand-juries can fully investigate crimes and gather all relevant information.