What impact did Silverthorne Lumber Co. v U.S. (1920) have on evidence collection?

Silverthorne Lumber Co. v U.S. (1920) is significant in establishing the derived evidence rule, which holds that evidence obtained indirectly from an illegal search or seizure is also inadmissible in court. This case arose when federal agents seized documents without a warrant and later attempted to use similar documents obtained through a subsequent lawful search. The Court ruled that the government could not benefit from prior illegal actions, underscoring the importance of the exclusionary rule which protects individuals from unlawful searches.

By affirming that not only the original evidence but also any secondary evidence derived from it is tainted by the initial illegality, this ruling reinforced the protection of constitutional rights against unreasonable searches and seizures. This principle aims to deter law enforcement from conducting unlawful searches, thereby maintaining the integrity of the judicial process. Other options do not accurately represent the ruling’s impact on evidence collection related to this case.