Who does the exclusionary rule apply to?

The exclusionary rule applies to police officers, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement. This rule is a legal principle that prevents the use of evidence collected in violation of a defendant's constitutional rights, specifically the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. Because police officers are the primary enforcers of the law and are responsible for gathering evidence, it is crucial that they adhere to constitutional guidelines.

The reason this rule isn't limited to just federal law enforcement officers or local and state officers alone is that any law enforcement official, regardless of jurisdiction, must operate within constitutional bounds. The intent of the exclusionary rule is to deter unlawful police conduct that infringes on individuals' rights, ensuring that a fair judicial process is maintained across all levels of law enforcement. Legal professionals, while they play a role in the judicial process, are not the subjects of the rule as it specifically pertains to the actions of police officers in gathering evidence.