Which standard typically requires more evidence, reasonable suspicion or probable cause?

• A. Probable cause.
• B. Reasonable suspicion.
• C. A warrant.
• D. A preponderance of the evidence.

Answer: (A)

Probable cause requires more evidence than reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion is just enough to justify a brief stop and further limited investigation to check for safety or possible criminal activity. Probable cause, on the other hand, demands facts and circumstances that would lead a reasonable person to believe that a crime has been, is being, or will be committed, or that evidence is located where a search is contemplated. This higher standard is what underpins arrests and searches (often via warrants). The other options don’t fit because a warrant is a tool that rests on probable cause, and a preponderance of the evidence is the civil standard, not the criminal standard used for stops, arrests, or searches.