Which option is NOT a valid basis to arrest a person inside a defendant's residence?

• A. Consent to enter
• B. Exigent circumstances
• C. A warrant for the arrest
• D. A search warrant for the entire home

Answer: (D)

Arrest authority inside a home comes from consent to enter, exigent circumstances, or an arrest warrant. A search warrant, even one covering the entire home, does not by itself authorize arrest. It authorizes searching for and seizing evidence, not arresting a person. Therefore, a search warrant for the whole house is not a valid basis to arrest someone there. If you happen to encounter someone during a search, you may arrest only if there’s independent probable cause or another valid basis, but the warrant itself isn’t the basis for the arrest.