What constitutes a search in legal terms?

In legal terms, a search is typically defined as a governmental infringement on an individual's reasonable expectation of privacy. This concept centers around the idea that individuals have certain rights to privacy, and any governmental action that intrudes upon this privacy can be considered a search under the law. This definition encompasses various contexts, such as entering a residence without consent, inspecting personal items, or surveillance activities that infringe on an individual's expectation of privacy.

While obtaining consent before entering a property can also be relevant in determining the legitimacy of a search, it does not itself define what a search is. Looking for visible evidence may occur as part of a search but does not capture the broader legal mechanism at play. Monitoring phone conversations, while potentially infringing on privacy, depends on specific legal thresholds and regulations regarding wiretapping and electronic communications, which does not capture the essence of what constitutes a search in a more general sense. Thus, the focus on governmental infringement properly encapsulates the concept of search as defined in legal contexts.