What document authorizes a search of premises under New York law?

• A. Search warrant
• B. Subpoena
• C. Arrest warrant
• D. Court order

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is that a search warrant is the instrument used to authorize police to search a specific place for particular items. It is a court order issued by a judge or magistrate based on probable cause, and it must name exactly where the search will take place and what items may be seized. The warrant limits the officers’ search to that defined scope and typically to a specific time frame, ensuring due process.

A subpoena, by contrast, is a command to appear or to produce documents or evidence, not to conduct a physical search. An arrest warrant authorizes the seizure of a person, not a search of premises. A court order is a broad term that can govern many kinds of judicial directives, but it does not specifically denote permission to search a home or building for evidence.