Probable cause is best described as...

• A. A hunch or suspicion
• B. Objective facts that would induce a reasonably intelligent and prudent person to believe, in a criminal case, that a search would produce evidence of an offense
• C. Evidence proven beyond a reasonable doubt
• D. A judge's personal belief

Answer: (B)

Probable cause is an objective standard used to justify searches and arrests. It requires facts and circumstances that would lead a reasonably prudent person to believe that a crime has been committed and that evidence of that crime will be found in the place to be searched. It sits between a mere hunch and proof beyond a reasonable doubt, relying on the totality of the circumstances known to the officer at the time. This is why the best description is the one that emphasizes objective facts that would lead a reasonable person to believe a search would yield evidence of an offense. A hunch is too weak, a judge’s personal belief is not the standard, and evidence proven beyond a reasonable doubt is the standard for conviction, not for justification of searches or arrests.