§3103 Grounds for Issuing Search Warrant—(rule)

Summary

A judge may only sign a search warrant when there is good reason to believe the things or person linked to a federal crime will be found where the search will happen. The judge must have authority over the place or person being searched, so the location is usually inside the judge’s district. In some special situations the judge can approve a warrant that reaches outside the district—for example for tracking devices or when investigators need to access computers or stored electronic data under the rules.