by 
The Curious Bag
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An affidavit of probable cause is a written document submitted by the police to a judge in support of their request for an arrest or search warrant.
Function
Before a judge will sign an arrest or search warrant, the police must demonstrate to his satisfaction that probable cause exists to authorize either the arrest or searching the premises of an individual.
Identification
Probable cause is defined as those facts that would lead a reasonable person to conclude that a crime has been or is in the process of being committed.
Constitutional Requirement
The requirement of probable cause is derived from the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures.
Features
The statements contained in the affidavit are made under oath by a person with sufficient personal knowledge of the facts and circumstances that would support a finding that probable cause exists to either make an arrest or to search the premises of the suspect.
Supreme Court Ruling
In the 1983 case of Illinois v. Gates, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a "fair probability" that criminal activity has transpired will be sufficient to meet the constitutional probable cause standard.
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