According to the good faith doctrine, what happens if an officer executes a search warrant that is later found to have a legal error?

The good faith doctrine is a legal principle that protects law enforcement officers when they rely on a search warrant that is later found to contain a legal error, as long as their reliance on the warrant was reasonable and in good faith. This means that if an officer executes a warrant that has deficiencies, but they genuinely believed the warrant was valid at the time of execution, the evidence obtained may still be admitted in court.

This doctrine aims to balance the necessity of police action against the rights of individuals, acknowledging that officers must sometimes make quick decisions and that not all errors will justify excluding evidence. Therefore, when a warrant contains an error but the officer acted in good faith, the court is likely to allow the evidence obtained during the search to be used, recognizing that the officer's intent was not to violate the law.

This underscores the principle that legal standards must account for the practical realities of policing while still ensuring that law enforcement operates within the bounds of the Constitution.