Oliver v. United States

Summary

The Court reaffirmed the open-fields doctrine, holding that government officers may enter and search open fields without a warrant or probable cause because such fields are not among the places protected by the Fourth Amendment. Privacy measures such as fences and no-trespassing signs, common-law trespass rights, and the secluded nature of the land do not create a legitimate expectation of privacy in open fields, although the curtilage remains protected. The Court affirmed the judgment in Oliver and reversed and remanded the judgment in Thornton.