Electronic Search Warrant Application: eWarrant and eReturn

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

The Superior Court of Arizona in Maricopa County is the fourth largest trial court in the country. The Court serves all of Maricopa County, a population of 4 million people covering more than 9,200 square miles (Maricopa County is larger than five states and the District of Columbia) which includes the metropolitan Phoenix area (US Census, 2010). The Court issues more than 12,000 search warrants each year. The Court has developed innovative technology to specifically address the need to issue search warrants. Our objective in creating this project was to give law enforcement agencies around Maricopa County a quick and efficient way to secure a search warrant for a blood draw on a person suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The new technology focused on improving the accessibility of judicial officers that can sign the search warrants without leaving the DUI check point or local police station. In August 2012, the Superior Court and the City of Phoenix Police Department launched eWarrant, which allows police officers with specialized training to request a search warrant for a blood draw or bodily fluids of a person suspected of driving under the influence vis-à-vis a police officer’s laptop with the eWarrant application and the Court’s iCISng database system which is monitored by Judicial Officers in our 24/7 (365 days a year) Search Warrant Center. The same process is used to complete the eReturn. The project was developed and successful only through the collaboration of the City of Phoenix Police Department, Superior Court Criminal Judicial Officers, Criminal Court Administration, Court Technology Services, Integrated Criminal Justice Information Services, the Maricopa County Adult Probation Department, the Maricopa County Clerk of Court and the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.