A warrant may direct an officer to search a dwelling for the purpose of arresting a person who is the subject of an arrest or bench warrant, even if the dwelling belongs to a third party not subject to the warrant.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not allowed
• D. Only with consent

Answer: (A)

Entering a dwelling to arrest a named suspect can be authorized by a valid arrest warrant, even if the dwelling is owned by someone else. The warrant’s purpose is to locate and arrest the person named in it, so it may authorize the officers to search the place where that person is believed to be, regardless of who owns the home. Ownership or occupancy by a third party does not defeat the authority to enter for the purpose of arrest; consent from the homeowner is not required when there is a valid arrest warrant. A bench warrant simply reflects a court’s order to arrest the named individual, reinforcing the same principle: the warrant grants permission to enter to effectuate the arrest.