• Law
College

What must be established before a warrant can be issued?

a) Probable cause
b) Reasonable suspicion
c) Hearsay evidence
d) An arrest

Answer :

Final answer:

Before a warrant can be issued, there must be probable cause, which is a reasonable belief that a crime has been, is being, or will be committed, or that evidence of a crime will be found. Therefore the correct answer is a) Probable cause.

Explanation:

The requirement for issuing a warrant is probable cause. Before a warrant can be issued, law enforcement officials must demonstrate to a judge that there is a reasonable belief, known as probable cause, that a crime has been committed or is about to be committed, or that evidence of a crime will be found. This is a higher standard than reasonable suspicion, which allows police to stop and frisk individuals but is not sufficient for obtaining a warrant. Probable cause is established through a sworn affidavit detailing the evidence collected during an investigation, which a prosecutor then presents to a judge to argue for the issuance of an arrest warrant.