What criterion must be met to conduct a search under the "exigent circumstances" exception?

To conduct a search under the "exigent circumstances" exception, the critical criterion is the need to prevent the destruction of evidence. This legal doctrine recognizes that there are certain emergency situations where law enforcement officers must act quickly to preserve evidence or protect lives. If, for instance, officers have reason to believe that evidence might be destroyed or a suspect could flee, they are justified in conducting a search without a warrant.

In these situations, the immediacy of the threat typically outweighs the need for a warrant, allowing officers to take necessary action to prevent evidence from being lost. This principle is founded on the understanding that waiting to obtain a warrant could compromise the investigation or allow for critical evidence to be destroyed, thus undermining the course of justice.