150 Search Warrants, Court Orders, and Affidavits: A Law Enforcement Guide

Search warrants are one of the most powerful tools available to law enforcement officers. However, one of the greatest challenges in drafting a search warrant can come while trying to accurately describe or articulate the person, place, or thing to be searched and the items to be seized.

This book is designed to assist law enforcement officers who have little or no experience in writing a search warrant affidavit, as well as, experienced investigators who have written search warrants in the past and who want a reference of both common and unusual templates. If you are looking for a legal manual full of case citations and legal theory then this is the wrong book for you. If you are looking for practical search warrant and affidavit templates covering some of the most common subjects, and some unusual ones, you've come to the right place.

Every search warrant template, court order, and affidavit was taken from actual court documents after having been reviewed by a magistrate and authorized. Each of the subjects covered in this book are drawn from a review of hundreds of federal, state, and local affidavits used to successfully create search warrants which were subsequently authorized by a judge of a magistrate.

The 150 search warrant, court order, and affidavit templates in this book include:

• Incorporating Information into the Affidavit and Search Warrant such as Crimes Reports, Witness Information, Informant Information, and Confidential Reliable Informant Information
• Dominion and Control Evidence
• Seeking Authorization to Take Videotape, Photograph, and Digital Images During a Warrant Search
• Seeking Authorization For Forensics - Photographing, Taking Measurements, Seizing Weapons And Evidence
• Single Family Residences or Duplexes, Apartment House or Large Complexes, and Rural Locations
• Hidden Compartments or Hiding Places At Or Within A Location
• Examples of Search Warrants and Affidavits for Auto Dealerships, Safe Deposit Box/Private Mail Boxes, Businesses, Stock Brokerages, Title Companies, Travel Agencies or Services, and Trust Companies
• Describing Vehicles With Known License Plate Numbers, Known VIN, Unknown Locations or Plate Numbers,
• Updated (2013) Language for Installing A GPS Tracker
• Templates Describing Known Suspects, Suspects Known Only by Nickname or Moniker, and Suspects At A Location
• Computers and Internet Service Providers Search and Seizure Warrants and Affidavits: Google, Facebook, Ebay/Paypal,
• Telephones, Cell Phones, Records, and Wiretaps- Voicemail Records and Password Resets, Specialized Records Searches (Calls to Destination), Calling Cards, Pen Register, Obtaining Assistance From Google and Apple to Unlock Password Protected Phones, and Title III Electronic Surveillance (Wiretaps)
• Property Crimes, Fraud, and Forgery- Stolen Property, Utility Theft, Vehicle Theft, Chop Shops, Identity Theft, Counterfeit Currency, Telemarketer Fraud, Counterfeit Credit/Gift Cards, and Counterfeit CDs/DVDs/Software
• Narcotics-General Search Warrant Affidavit and Templates, Specific Drugs Including: Amphetamine/Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana Possession and Cultivation, Clandestine Drug Labs, GHB, Ketamine, LSD, PCP, MDMA, and Steroids
• Gang Search Warrants and Affidavits
• Special Procedures-Seeking Authorization For Federal Law Enforcement Officer(s) To Assist In Search Warrant, Authorization For Civilian(s) To Assist At The Search Warrant Site(s)-Search Warrant Special Master Authorization, Sealing Statement of Probable Cause / Affidavit (Hobbs), Use Of Informants -- Two-Prong Test, Other Sealing Orders, Extension Dates of Returns, Release of Evidence During the Search Warrant Service, Night Time Service, and Waiver of Knock Notice