In relation to invalidated state statutes, when are officers protected under the Good Faith Exception?

Officers are protected under the Good Faith Exception when they act based on a legal statute that is valid at the time of their actions. This means that if law enforcement personnel rely on a statute that appears to be constitutional and enforceable, even if that statute is later invalidated, they may still be protected from liability or the exclusion of evidence obtained under that statute. The rationale behind the Good Faith Exception is to uphold the actions of law enforcement that were taken in a reasonable belief that they were acting within the bounds of the law.

In situations where statute validity is not known to the officers, if they can show they were acting in good faith based on the belief that the statute was constitutional and enforceable at the time, they may avoid penalties or civil liability stemming from the subsequent determination that the statute was indeed invalid.