Electronic On-Call Warrants - San Bernardino Superior Court

Overview/Program Description:

The system provides electronic processing of all warrant types during non-court hours, and all probable cause declarations. Judicial review is provided by a standard browser application that can run on an iPad, or other mobile device. Judges can be notified of a warrant for processing by telephone, text message, or e-mail. The basic goals of the program were to free judges from being tied to their fax machines during on-call warrant duty; provide a fast efficient means for law enforcement to submit warrant requests; and to maintain a complete record of approved warrants and probable cause declarations, and their processing, in an efficient manner.

Program Benefits/Savings:

The response from judges and law enforcement has been very positive. Law enforcement has been very glad not to have to call a judge in the middle of the night (the system makes the initial contact). Judges have been very appreciative that this is up and running.

The court has achieved efficiencies in storing and processing warrants and probable cause declarations (PCD). Previously staff attempted to match returned warrants with the initial request and both warrants and PCDs with filed cases. Now the warrant number provides a unique reference which makes locating a warrant or PCD simple, when required.

Other Courts Using Similar Programs:

• Alameda Superior Court
• Butte Superior Court (Butte County Electronic Search Warrant)
• Contra Costa Superior Court (Electronic Probable Cause Declaration)
• Fresno Superior Court (e-Search Warrants)
• Imperial Superior Court (Electronic On-Call Magistrate)
• Monterey Superior Court (eProbable Cause Declaration)
• Orange Superior Court (Probable Cause Declaration Portal)
• Riverside Superior Court
• San Diego Superior Court
• San Francisco Superior Court
• San Luis Obispo Superior Court
• Santa Clara Superior Court (Electronic Search Warrant Signature Program)
• Solano Superior Court
• Tulare Superior Court
• Ventura Superior Court
• Yolo Superior Court (Yolo Superior Court E-Warrant Program)