Stark v. United States was a Supreme Court case that addressed the issue of whether a defendant could be convicted of a crime if the evidence presented was obtained through an illegal search and seizure. The case involved a man named John Stark, who was accused of stealing a horse from a government stable. The government had obtained evidence against Stark through an illegal search and seizure, and he was subsequently convicted of the crime. Stark appealed his conviction, arguing that the evidence obtained through the illegal search and seizure should not be used against him. The Supreme Court agreed with Stark, ruling that the evidence obtained through the illegal search and seizure was inadmissible in court. The Court held that the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures, and that any evidence obtained through such searches and seizures must be excluded from court proceedings. The ruling in Stark v. United States established the exclusionary rule, which states that any evidence obtained through an illegal search and seizure is inadmissible in court. This ruling has been used in numerous cases since then, and is an important part of the Fourth Amendment's protection of citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures.

In the case of Stark v. United States, Justice Field delivered a dissenting opinion arguing that Congress had exceeded its authority in passing the act under which Stark was convicted. He argued that Congress could not pass laws punishing acts already prohibited by state law and thus criminalize conduct beyond their constitutional powers. Furthermore, he noted that if such an interpretation were allowed to stand it would lead to "the most dangerous consequences," as there would be no limit on what crimes Congress could make punishable by federal statute. Finally, Field asserted that allowing this type of legislation would undermine the balance between federal and state power established by the Constitution and ultimately weaken states' rights in favor of a powerful central government with unchecked authority over citizens' lives.