Which landmark Supreme Court case established the Open Fields Doctrine?

The Open Fields Doctrine is established by the case of Hester v. United States. This doctrine holds that the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, does not apply to open fields, even if they are privately owned. In Hester v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that because open fields are not given the same constitutional protections as curtilage (the area immediately surrounding a home), law enforcement does not need a warrant to search these areas. This case clarified that individuals do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in open fields, thereby allowing law enforcement officials to conduct searches without violating the Fourth Amendment.

The other cases listed do not focus on the Open Fields Doctrine. Katz v. United States dealt with the expectation of privacy in telephone communications, while Oliver v. United States reaffirmed the principles originally established in Hester. US v. Houston does not have any established connection with the Open Fields Doctrine either. Thus, Hester v. United States is the foundational case that laid out this important legal principle.