search warrant

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Home » Ask a Lawyer » search warrant

search warrant

My alarm went off at my home the police searched the house with me. The officer seen that we had hunting rifles. He went back to the station and ran everyones name who lived in the house and seen my boyfriend had a domestic in 2004. They came back that evening with a warrant and enter my home without serving the warrant. My 11 year old daughter answered the door and police came in all entries of the house before she answered the front door. they started to search the house while my boyfrien was still in the bathroom. No one was ever served before they came in.is this legal in west virginia

Asked on May 13, 2009 under Criminal Law, West Virginia

Answers:

M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 14 years ago | Contributor

The general rule is that the police are required to “knock and announce” when serving a search warrant, as in: [knock, knock] “Ma’am, this is the police. We have a search warrant for these premises.” If you then refuse to let the officers in, they have the right to force the door open.
 
The police are allowed to skip the knock and announce part when they reasonably believe that officers would be endangered or evidence destroyed, should the occupants have any warning.  Even when they do knock and announce, they may only wait a few seconds before bursting in.
In your case, guns were involved so they can argue that they reasonably believed that they would be endangered in light of the fact that one of the occupants had previously been arrested for domestic violence.
The question then becomes did they have a valid warrant in the first place?  And here it looks a though they did.  You consented to have the police in your home.  The guns were in plain sight.  When they ran a background check on the occupants, something they can legally do, a domestic violence conviction turned up on your boyfriend. In West Virgina someone with a DV conviction has greatly restricted rights to own firearms.  If they are in violation, as your boyfriend seems to be in this case,  than the police had probable cause to obtain a warrant.
Since I don't know all of the facts, to be sure of your rights, you may want to go over all this with a criminal attorney in your area.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Related Articles

Accident From Behind Where Front Car Left The Scene.
What is
AmI financially responsible for damage/costs if my minor son stole a car?
Pedestrian hit with no injuries

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption