The procedure to obtain a search warrant is known as what?

• A. Reasonable Suspicion
• B. Probable Cause
• C. Preponderance of Evidence
• D. Hearsay

Answer: (B)

Probable cause is the standard used to obtain a search warrant. It requires enough reliable facts and circumstances to lead a reasonable person to believe that a crime has been, is being, or will be committed and that evidence or contraband is likely located at the place to be searched. Officers present these facts in an oath or affirmation (an affidavit) to a neutral judge or magistrate, who determines whether probable cause exists and, if so, issues the warrant describing the place to be searched and the items to be seized.

Reasonable suspicion is a lower threshold used for stops and brief detentions, not for warrants. Preponderance of the evidence is the civil standard, not the criminal warrant standard. Hearsay refers to secondhand information and, while it can appear in an affidavit if corroborated and considered trustworthy, it does not by itself establish probable cause.