The standard for arrest or search based on reasonable basis that a crime may have been committed or evidence present is called?

• A. Probable cause
• B. Reasonable suspicion
• C. Hunch
• D. Certainty

Answer: (A)

Probable cause is the reasonable basis, grounded in facts and circumstances known to the officer, to believe that a crime has been committed and that evidence or a suspect is connected to it. This standard sits between a mere hunch and absolute certainty, and it supports both arrests and searches (often via a warrant). It’s assessed using the totality of the circumstances—what the officer actually knows, plus what is reasonably inferable from that information. Reasonable suspicion is a lower standard used for stops and brief detentions, not for full arrests or searches. A hunch isn’t a legal standard, and certainty is far beyond what the Fourth Amendment requires.