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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Rochin rule
Read a random definition: judgment as a matter of law
A quick definition of Rochin rule:
ROCHIN RULE: The Rochin rule was a principle that allowed illegally obtained evidence to be used against a defendant unless the way it was obtained was so shocking that it violated the conscience. For example, in the Rochin v. California case, evidence obtained by pumping the stomach of a suspect to retrieve illegal drugs was deemed inadmissible. This rule was established before the Fourth Amendment exclusionary rule applied to the states.
A more thorough explanation:
The Rochin rule was a principle that allowed unconstitutionally obtained evidence to be admissible against the accused unless the manner in which the evidence was obtained "shocked the conscience." This principle was established in the case of Rochin v. California in 1952.
For example, in the Rochin case, the police pumped the suspect's stomach to obtain evidence of illegal drugs that he had swallowed. This was considered a violation of the suspect's Fourth Amendment rights, but the evidence was still admissible under the Rochin rule because it did not "shock the conscience" of the court.
However, the Rochin rule is no longer valid. The Supreme Court later established the exclusionary rule, which prohibits the use of illegally obtained evidence in criminal trials. This means that evidence obtained in violation of a suspect's constitutional rights cannot be used against them in court, regardless of whether or not it "shocks the conscience."