What must be present for exigent circumstances to be established?

Exigent circumstances allow law enforcement officers to conduct a search without a warrant under urgent conditions that require immediate action to prevent harm to life, destruction of evidence, or the escape of a suspect. For exigent circumstances to be established, two main criteria need to be met: the existence of probable cause and an imminent risk, which often pertains to life or the potential for evidence to be destroyed.

Having probable cause means there is a reasonable belief that a crime has been committed or that evidence is likely to be found in a location without delay. Additionally, the risk to life refers to situations where immediate intervention is necessary to protect individuals or the public, and the threat of evidence being lost indicates a need to act quickly before it can be removed or destroyed.

In contrast, the other selections present requirements that do not align with the legal framework governing exigent circumstances. For instance, public consensus for a warrantless search is not a legal requirement; the law does not mandate a majority opinion for urgency. A signed warrant from a judge contradicts the very notion of exigent circumstances, which exists specifically to allow action without a warrant in emergency situations. The presence of law enforcement during a crime is not a necessary factor for defining exigency either, as exigent circumstances focus