Criminal procedure; out-of-state warrants, arrest authorized for crime punishable by more than one year, arrest by out-of-state officers authorized

Broader cross-border arrests with court review

Effective immediately upon enactment, Alabama expands arrest powers for serious out-of-state crimes. An officer or private citizen can arrest someone without a warrant based on reasonable information about an out-of-state court charge. The charge must carry death, more than one year in prison, or otherwise qualify as a felony. A sworn complaint must explain the arrest grounds, and the person can respond as in a warrant-based arrest. Qualifying out-of-state officers can also arrest and hold someone in Alabama while pursuing a reasonably suspected felony from their state. Pursuit must continue without unreasonable delay, but need not start immediately; no felony needs to have actually occurred. Both arrest routes require prompt review by a district or circuit judge; pursuit arrests require review in the arrest county. For lawful arrests, the judge must order custody for a reasonable time awaiting an extradition warrant, or allow bail. For unlawful arrests, the judge must release the person. The pursuit rules do not invalidate arrests that are otherwise lawful.