What best describes "inevitable discovery"?

The concept of "inevitable discovery" refers specifically to a legal doctrine that allows evidence to be admitted in court, even if it was initially obtained through a means that would typically be considered unlawful, provided that the prosecution can show that the evidence would have ultimately been discovered through lawful methods anyway. This doctrine is grounded in the idea that there is a strong public interest in the pursuit of truth and justice, and if the evidence was bound to be found by lawful means eventually, then it should not be excluded merely because it was found as a result of an unlawful search or seizure.

This principle helps to ensure that legal procedures do not automatically lead to the exclusion of relevant and probative evidence, which can hinder the administration of justice. It recognizes that law enforcement officers sometimes act in good faith and that their conduct, while possibly flawed, does not always undermine the legitimacy of the evidence collected.

In the context of this question, the other choices do not accurately capture the essence of "inevitable discovery." They focus on other concepts related to evidence admissibility but do not align with the specific legal doctrine that "inevitable discovery" embodies.