Section 817 Of Chapter 4. The Warrant Of Arrest From California Penal Code >> Title 3. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 4.
817
. (a) (1) When a declaration of probable cause is made by a
peace officer of this state, in accordance with subdivision (b) or
(c), the magistrate, if, and only if, satisfied from the declaration
that there exists probable cause that the offense described in the
declaration has been committed and that the defendant described
therein has committed the offense, shall issue a warrant of probable
cause for the arrest of the defendant.
(2) The warrant of probable cause for arrest shall not begin a
complaint process pursuant to Section 740 or 813. The warrant of
probable cause for arrest shall have the same authority for service
as set forth in Section 840 and the same time limitations as that of
an arrest warrant issued pursuant to Section 813.
(b) The declaration in support of the warrant of probable cause
for arrest shall be a sworn statement made in writing.
(c) In lieu of the written declaration required in subdivision
(b), the magistrate may take an oral statement under oath under one
of the following conditions:
(1) The oath shall be taken under penalty of perjury and recorded
and transcribed. The transcribed statement shall be deemed to be the
declaration for the purposes of this section. The recording of the
sworn oral statement and the transcribed statement shall be certified
by the magistrate receiving it and shall be filed with the clerk of
the court. In the alternative, the sworn oral statement may be
recorded by a certified court reporter who shall certify the
transcript of the statement, after which the magistrate receiving it
shall certify the transcript, which shall be filed with the clerk of
the court.
(2) The oath is made using telephone and facsimile transmission
equipment, or made using telephone and electronic mail, or telephone
and computer server, under all of the following conditions:
(A) The oath is made during a telephone conversation with the
magistrate, after which the declarant shall sign his or her
declaration in support of the warrant of probable cause for arrest.
The declarant's signature shall be in the form of a digital signature
or electronic signature if electronic mail or computer server is
used for transmission to the magistrate. The proposed warrant and all
supporting declarations and attachments shall then be transmitted to
the magistrate utilizing facsimile transmission equipment,
electronic mail, or computer server.
(B) The magistrate shall confirm with the declarant the receipt of
the warrant and the supporting declarations and attachments. The
magistrate shall verify that all the pages sent have been received,
that all pages are legible, and that the declarant's signature,
digital signature, or electronic signature is acknowledged as
genuine.
(C) If the magistrate decides to issue the warrant, he or she
shall:
(i) Cause the warrant, supporting declarations, and attachments to
be subsequently printed if those documents are received by
electronic mail or computer server.
(ii) Sign the warrant. The magistrate's signature may be in the
form of a digital signature or electronic signature if electronic
mail or computer server is used for transmission to the magistrate.
(iii) Note on the warrant the exact date and time of the issuance
of the warrant.
(iv) Indicate on the warrant that the oath of the declarant was
administered orally over the telephone.
The completed warrant, as signed by the magistrate, shall be
deemed to be the original warrant.
(D) The magistrate shall transmit via facsimile transmission
equipment, electronic mail, or computer server, the signed warrant to
the declarant who shall telephonically acknowledge its receipt. The
magistrate shall then telephonically authorize the declarant to write
the words "duplicate original" on the copy of the completed warrant
transmitted to the declarant and this document shall be deemed to be
a duplicate original warrant.
(d) Before issuing a warrant, the magistrate may examine under
oath the person seeking the warrant and any witness the person may
produce, take the written declaration of the person or witness, and
cause the person or witness to subscribe the declaration.
(e) A warrant of probable cause for arrest shall contain the
information required pursuant to Sections 815 and 815a.
(f) A warrant of probable cause for arrest may be in substantially
the following form: