To search for someone with an arrest warrant in a third-party home, which principle applies?

To search for someone with an arrest warrant in a third-party home, which principle applies?

• A. A warrantless search is allowed in the interest of public safety.
• B. A warrant is required to search a third-party home for someone with an arrest warrant.
• C. Arrest warrants always permit entry without a separate warrant.
• D. Exigent circumstances authorize a search without a warrant.

Answer: (B)

A person’s arrest warrant licenses only the arrest of that named individual, not a home search. When the suspect might be inside a third‑party residence, officers must normally obtain a separate search warrant supported by probable cause to enter and search the home, unless another valid exception applies (like consent from the occupant or exigent circumstances). This separation between arrest authority and search authority is why searching a third‑party home for someone with an arrest warrant requires a warrant. The other ideas rely on narrow exceptions or misinterpret the scope of an arrest warrant, so they don’t apply as the general rule.

A person’s arrest warrant licenses only the arrest of that named individual, not a home search. When the suspect might be inside a third‑party residence, officers must normally obtain a separate search warrant supported by probable cause to enter and search the home, unless another valid exception applies (like consent from the occupant or exigent circumstances). This separation between arrest authority and search authority is why searching a third‑party home for someone with an arrest warrant requires a warrant. The other ideas rely on narrow exceptions or misinterpret the scope of an arrest warrant, so they don’t apply as the general rule.