arrest warrant complaint
Defined in 1 dictionary — Case Law
Definitions from Case Law
From 357 U.S. 480 - Giordenello v. United States · 1958Most cited · 2,575 citing opinions
The purpose of the complaint is to enable the appropriate magistrate to determine whether the 'probable cause' required to support a warrant exists. The Commissioner must judge for himself the persuasiveness of the facts relied on by a complaining officer to show probable cause. He should not accept without question the complainant's mere conclusion that the person whose arrest is sought has committed a crime.