What is "search warrant"

Search \Search\, n. [Cf. OF. cerche. See Search, v. t.] The act of seeking or looking for something; quest; inquiry; pursuit for finding something; examination.

Thus the orb he roamed With narrow search, and with inspection deep Considered every creature.
--Milton.

Nor did my search of liberty begin Till my black hairs were changed upon my chin.
--Dryden.

Right of search (Mar. Law), the right of the lawfully commissioned cruisers of belligerent nations to examine and search private merchant vessels on the high seas, for the enemy's property or for articles contraband of war.

Search warrant (Law), a warrant legally issued, authorizing an examination or search of a house, or other place, for goods stolen, secreted, or concealed.

Syn: Scrutiny; examination; exploration; investigation; research; inquiry; quest; pursuit.

Warrant \War"rant\, n. [OE. warant, OF. warant a warrant, a defender, protector, F. garant, originally a p. pr. pf German origin, fr. OHG. wer[=e]n to grant, warrant, G. gew["a]hren; akin to OFries. wera. Cf. Guarantee.]

1. That which warrants or authorizes; a commission giving authority, or justifying the doing of anything; an act, instrument, or obligation, by which one person authorizes another to do something which he has not otherwise a right to do; an act or instrument investing one with a right or authority, and thus securing him from loss or damage; commission; authority. Specifically:

   1. A writing which authorizes a person to receive money or other thing.

   2. (Law) A precept issued by a magistrate authorizing an officer to make an arrest, a seizure, or a search, or do other acts incident to the administration of justice.

   3. (Mil. & Nav.) An official certificate of appointment issued to an officer of lower rank than a commissioned officer. See Warrant officer, below.

2. That which vouches or insures for anything; guaranty; security.

   I give thee warrant of thy place.
   --Shak.

   His worth is warrant for his welcome hither.
   --Shak.

3. That which attests or proves; a voucher.

4. Right; legality; allowance. [Obs.] --Shak. Bench warrant. (Law) See in the Vocabulary. Dock warrant (Com.), a customhouse license or authority. General warrant. (Law) See under General. Land warrant. See under Land. Search warrant. (Law) See under Search, n. Warrant of attorney (Law), written authority given by one person to another empowering him to transact business for him; specifically, written authority given by a client to his attorney to appear for him in court, and to suffer judgment to pass against him by confession in favor of some specified person. --Bouvier. Warrant officer, a noncommissioned officer, as a sergeant, corporal, bandmaster, etc., in the army, or a quartermaster, gunner, boatswain, etc., in the navy. Warrant to sue and defend.

   1. (O. Eng. Law) A special warrant from the crown, authorizing a party to appoint an attorney to sue or defend for him.

   2. A special authority given by a party to his attorney to commence a suit, or to appear and defend a suit in his behalf. This warrant is now disused.
      --Burrill.

n. (context legal English) A court order in the form of a warrant, authorizing the search of a home and/or other privacy-protected place(s), notably to seek unlawful possessions, evidence etc. as part of a judicial inquiry

n. a warrant authorizing law enforcement officials to search for objects or people involved in the commission of a crime and to produce them in court; the warrant describes the locations where the officials may search

A search warrant is a court order that a magistrate, judge or Supreme Court official issues to authorize law enforcement officers to conduct a search of a person, location, or vehicle for evidence of a crime and to confiscate any evidence they find. In most countries a search warrant cannot be issued in aid of civil process.

Jurisdictions that respect the rule of law and a right to privacy constrain police powers, and typically require search warrants or an equivalent procedure for searches police conducted in the course of a criminal investigation. The laws usually make an exception for hot pursuit: a police officer following a criminal who has fled the scene of a crime has the right to enter a property where the criminal has sought shelter. This contrasts with authoritarian regimes, where police typically can search property and people without having to provide justification or secure court permission.