A search warrant is supported by information about which of the following?

• A. This Particular Place
• B. Right Now (Staleness v. Freshness)
• C. Evidence/Fruits/Instrumentalities of a Specific Crime or Contraband
• D. Are in This Specific Place

Answer: (C)

Probable cause for a search warrant comes from information that ties the crime to items the police are trying to seize. The information used to justify the warrant should point to evidence, fruits, or instrumentalities of a specific crime or to contraband — in other words, the objects the warrant authorizes the officers to search for and seize. If the information instead centers on where someone is or on how fresh the tip is, it doesn’t directly justify the seizure of particular items. While timeliness matters (information can be stale if it no longer reflects where the items are), the essence of what supports the warrant is that there’s a probable link between the crime and the items to be seized. So the best choice is information about evidence, fruits, or instrumentalities of a specific crime or contraband, because that directly supports the search by linking the crime to the items being sought.