What is the outcome of U.S. v. Leon regarding the good faith exception?

U.S. v. Leon established the "good faith" exception to the exclusionary rule, which governs the admissibility of evidence obtained in violation of a suspect's Fourth Amendment rights. The decision clarifies that if law enforcement officers obtain evidence based on a warrant that is later found to be invalid, that evidence can still be admitted in court, provided the police acted in good faith. This means that if the officers had a reasonable belief that the warrant was valid and proper procedures were followed when obtaining it, they can rely on the warrant's authority.

The ruling recognizes that excluding evidence obtained in good faith can lead to the suppression of probative evidence that is important for determining the truth in a case. Thus, the principle behind this exception is to balance the necessity of upholding constitutional rights with the need for law enforcement to effectively pursue justice.