Expert: William A Saunders - 12/13/2007

Question
What kind of evidence does a judge need to issue an arrest warrent?  This is a question in my college government class, and I have to write an essay on it, only I am having problems finding the information

Answer
One of the problems with the issuance of an arrest warrant is there really doesn’t need to be much evidence.  The only requirement is probable cause – which translates to a reasonable likelihood that a crime has been committed.  But statutes don’t offer a clear definition of probable cause.  The bottom line is, the police officer must articulate to the judge what information he or she knows that would equate to probable cause.  

Visit this Web site and pay particular attention to the Probable Cause section.  Copy and paste into your browser.  I don't believe the links are active.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment04/02.html


Also, these really good and helpful Web sites you may want to keep handy are:

and

http://www.findlaw.com/

and

http://www.legal-definitions.com/criminal-law/arrest-warrants.htm

Good luck in your class.  I hope this information is helpful to you.  Feel free to ask again if your questions still are not fully covered.  But I think between these Web sites, you ought to find what you need.

Best Wishes.