What term refers to a writ issued by a magistrate authorizing police to search a specific place or person and seize specified items?

• A. Search Warrant
• B. Warrant
• C. Probable Cause
• D. General Warrant

Answer: (A)

A search warrant is a writ issued by a magistrate authorizing police to search a specific place or person and seize items described in the warrant. It exists to protect privacy by requiring a judge to review probable cause and to limit the police’s power to clearly defined targets—where they may search and what they may seize. The warrant must name the location to be searched and the items to be seized, be supported by probable cause, be issued on oath or affirmation, and be executed within a limited time. This framework, grounded in the Fourth Amendment, prevents broad, unspecific searches and helps ensure that evidence obtained is admissible. General warrants violate this principle because they authorize broad, non-specific searches. Probable cause is the justification for issuing a warrant, not the writ itself, and a warrant is the formal instrument; without these safeguards, the search could be unconstitutional.