Exigent circumstances; Plain view; Search incident to arrest; Consent; Automobile exceptions; Special needs. What Are the Exceptions When the Police Can Search Without a Warrant?In North Carolina, some protections prohibit the use of evidence obtained through illegal searches or seizures in court proceedings. An arrest is one example of a Fourth Amendment "seizure. In general, most warrantless searches of private premises are prohibited under the Fourth Amendment, unless a specific exception applies. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides the constitutional grounds for excluding evidence obtained through an illegal search and seizure. "Under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, an arresting officer may, without a warrant search a person validly arrested. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides the constitutional grounds for excluding evidence obtained through an illegal search and seizure. The Fourth Amendment stands for the idea that the government, specifically law enforcement, cannot subject citizens to unreasonable searches and seizures. Those fiftyfour words have spawned intense litigation filled with variables, exceptions and complex analysis.