The fourth amendment requires that searches and seizures be conducted pursuant to warrants issued by neutral and detached magistrates upon a showing of probable cause. An exception to the requirement is permitted for exigent circumstances requiring immediate police action, and a warrantless search to prevent destruction of evidence falls under the exigent circumstances exception. However, the courts do not evaluate claims of exigency in a uniform manner, and the confusions created by the several methods of evaluation are discussed in detail. A uniform rule is proposed that would authorize warrantless searches in the following specific limited circumstances: (1) police have probable cause to believe the private premises to be searched contains evidence of criminal activity; (2) the police can provide and articulate specific facts to support their reasonable suspicion that the evidence would be destroyed before they could obtain a warrant; (3) the circumstances giving rise to the threatened destruction of evidence are not avoidable or created by the police officers; and (4) the invasion of the suspect's fourth amendment rights is no greater than the circumstances require to prevent the destruction of evidence until a warrant can be obtained. 227 footnotes.