united-states constitutional-law search-and-seizure fourth-amendment
Use of anonymous informants to obtain search warrants
<p>In the United States is it commonly accepted by judges to issue search warrants based on anonymous tips or unidentified informants?</p>

<p>The reason I ask is that the 4th ammendment to the US Constitution says that warrants shall only be issued on probable cause supported by oath, and a tip by an anonymous person does not constitute an oath.</p>

<p>Yes. This was most recently clarified in Navarette v. California 572 U.S. ___ (2014).</p>

<p>A seizure can be deemed reasonable based on an anonymous tip. The reasonableness analysis is the standard "totality of the circumstances" test and the anonymous tip would usually need to have indicia of reliability.</p>
