How can police search with a search warrant?

Answer 1

They can search for what is stated in the search warrant. In some states if they find something else, say illegal drugs sitting out in the open and easily seen, they can confiscate them and arrest the person (s) involved.

But the search must be "reasonable" relative to what they're looking for. Drugs, they can look any place you could put them. But, for example, if they have a warrant to look for a stolen baby grand piano. they can't look in any place too small to fit a piano, so if they searched a desk drawer, any drugs found would be illegally searched and inadmissible because it's unreasonable to expect a piano to be in a drawer.

But if they found the drugs in the piano, that is a legal search!

Anything that is reasonable to find with respect to the object being searched is admissible, so if they have a warrant to search for betting slips because they got tips that make them think you're a bookie, then if they find any drugs (because they are roughly the same size and can fit in the same areas) then the drugs would also be admissible.

Moral of the story: If what the officers are searching for could be concealed in small spaces, expect to have ALL your small spaces searched and, regardless of what the warrant says they are looking for, if they find something else illegal you will be charged with it.

Answer 2

Search warrants usually have a specific tier of things that are being looked for, in most drug raids anything that could be used in making, or using drugs including the drugs themselves may be seized, in cyber crime laws such as child porn, corruption or fraud cases all computers may be seized if it is believed to have been used in a crime and sent back to be searched by investigators even if you are not arrested at the time and nothing else is found.

In some situation if a house was used as a place to commit a crime such as a murder or drug production the property itself may be seized and sold in an auction after the investigation regardless of conviction or even if you where unaware of the crime or not involved in the crime taking place on your property. Most of the time it is illegal to buy it back yourself. When a search warrant has been issued you can not legally resist the search of your property listed in the in warrant, if their is no warrent for search you can legally deny the police entry on to your property, if they enter or search with out your consent anything found can not be used in a conviction. Allowing them in though with out a warrant and letting them find illegal activity and paraphernalia will not lighten a conviction regardless of what they police or investigators say.

Answer 3

Although the appearance of the form itself may vary from state to state the requirements for a search warrant remain the same throughout the United States. Law enforcement needs what is known in the law as, "probable cause" to believe that a certain thing, or things, is at, or being conducted in, a certain location.

Probable cause is defined as: more than 'mere suspicion' but less than absolute certainty.

This information (probable cause) is put down in a document known as an affidavit by the officer(s) requesting the warrant and then presented to a judge. The judge asks the officer(s) to swear to the truthfulness of the information contained within the affidavit - then reads it to determine if conforms to the law. If it does, the judge countersigns the affidavit, making it legal, and the warrant for the search of the premises is issued.

Answer 4

Only for whats listed on the warrant. If something else is found of criminal nature other than whats listed on the warrant, it calls for a second warrant.

Seizing it without a new warrant would likely trigger a suppression hearing.

Answer 5

They can search for what is stated in the search warrant.

Answer 6

Whatever a Judge approves, and its on the warrant...

Answer 7

So you have privacy, and they can't just snoop around without one.