An arrest warrant is a legal document that gives law enforcement the authority to arrest an individual suspected of committing a crime. A person who is arrested shall have a judicial determination of probable cause no later than 48 hours following the person's arrest.100 requires police officers to arrest without a warrant when they have probable cause to believe that someone has committed a felony. In general, an arrest warrant can be issued without the person being previously arrested or notified about it. A search is reasonable, and a search warrant is not required, if the search is incident to a lawful arrest. In order to do so, you must understand the definition of an arrest warrant as well as a bench warrant. The courts deem searches, seizures, and arrests without a valid warrant presumptively invalid. The Superior Court of the District of Columbia provides another avenue for handling certain criminal offenses without taking a person into police custody. That doesn't mean that police officers must go running back to court for arrest warrants for every purse-snatcher they see, however. Unlike on the federal level, the "automobile exception" to the warrant requirement is not recognized in Washington.