Legal Definitions - poisonous-tree doctrine

The poisonous-tree doctrine is a rule in criminal procedure that states evidence obtained from an illegal search, arrest, or interrogation is inadmissible in court. This is because the evidence is considered tainted by the illegality, like a fruit from a poisonous tree.

For example, if the police illegally search a suspect's home and find a murder weapon, the weapon cannot be used as evidence in court. Even if the police later obtain a warrant to search the home, the evidence is still inadmissible because it was obtained from an illegal search.

This doctrine is important because it protects the rights of individuals and ensures that law enforcement follows proper procedures when gathering evidence. It also helps to prevent police misconduct and abuse of power.

Other related doctrines include the exclusionary rule, attenuation doctrine, independent-source rule, and inevitable-discovery rule.