Legal Definitions - open-fields doctrine

The open-fields doctrine is a rule in criminal procedure that allows law enforcement officers to conduct a warrantless search of the area outside a property owner's curtilage. This means that unless there is another legal basis for the search, it must exclude the home and any adjoining land that is within an enclosure or otherwise protected from public scrutiny.

For example, if a police officer sees a person hiding drugs in an open field near a house, they can search the field without a warrant. However, if the drugs were hidden in a shed within the curtilage of the house, a warrant would be required.

The open-fields doctrine is different from the plain-view doctrine, which allows officers to seize evidence that is in plain view during a lawful search or observation.