Which Supreme Court case established the exclusionary rule in relation to illegal searches?

The establishment of the exclusionary rule in relation to illegal searches is primarily credited to the Supreme Court case involving Weeks v. United States. This landmark decision, decided in 1914, held that evidence obtained through illegal searches and seizures is inadmissible in federal court. The Court found that the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, also implies that any unlawfully obtained evidence cannot be used to convict someone in a federal trial.

This ruling laid the groundwork for the exclusionary rule, ensuring that law enforcement must adhere to constitutional protections regarding search and seizure. Over time, this principle was extended to state courts through a series of subsequent rulings, reinforcing the importance of protecting citizens' rights against unlawful interference by the government.

Other cases listed address very different issues: Miranda v. Arizona pertains to the right to counsel and the warning required prior to interrogation, Gideon v. Wainwright focuses on the right to free legal counsel, and Brown v. Board of Education addresses racial segregation in public schools. Thus, all these cases, while significant, do not relate to the issue of illegal searches as the Weeks case does.