Probable cause is a legal standard used primarily in criminal law to determine whether law enforcement has sufficient justification to make an arrest, conduct a search, or obtain a warrant. It requires that law enforcement officers have reasonable grounds to believe that a crime has been committed or that evidence of a crime can be found in a specific location. This standard is higher than mere suspicion but lower than the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard required for a conviction. The purpose of probable cause is to protect individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
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