What is the definition of a seizure?

A seizure, in the context of criminal procedure, refers specifically to a meaningful government interference with an individual's possessory interest in property. This definition encompasses various scenarios where law enforcement may take control of an item or restrict an individual’s ability to utilize or access their possessions.

For example, if the police take possession of evidence during an investigation, this act constitutes a seizure because it impacts the owner's right to control that property. The key component here is that the government's action must be significant enough to effectuate a disruption of the individual's possessory interest, which is fundamental in understanding Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable seizures.

In contrast, other options like the temporary detainment of an individual or the arrest of a person, while significant actions carried out by law enforcement, more accurately describe the concepts of detention or arrest rather than a seizure of property. A search of a vehicle could lead to a seizure if property is taken, but the act of searching itself does not constitute a seizure without the meaningful interference specified in the correct definition.