What does the Fourth Amendment protect against?

The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution primarily protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. This amendment ensures that law enforcement officials must have probable cause and, in most cases, a warrant to conduct searches of a person’s property or belongings. The intent behind this protection is to safeguard individuals' privacy rights and maintain a balance between public safety and personal liberty.

This protection against unreasonable searches is critical in upholding the rule of law and preventing arbitrary government interference in the lives of citizens. It establishes a foundational principle that individuals have a right to their privacy unless there is sufficient justification for law enforcement to intrude.

The other options relate to different constitutional protections but do not pertain to the Fourth Amendment. The prohibition against excessive bail and punishment is found in the Eighth Amendment, the right to counsel is guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment, and the right to be free from being charged without evidence aligns with due process protections, which are addressed in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.