What term describes an arrest made without a prior warrant?

What term describes an arrest made without a prior warrant?

• A. Arrest Without Warrant
• B. Unlawful Arrest
• C. Warrantless Arrest
• D. Probable Cause Arrest

Answer: (C)

The concept tested is the terminology used when an arrest happens without a prior warrant. In practice, officers may arrest without a warrant when there is probable cause and the situation allows immediate action (such as certain exigent circumstances or an offense in progress). The precise term for this is warrantless arrest. It’s not automatically unlawful, since many jurisdictions provide lawful bases for these arrests under specific conditions. The other options aren’t as accurate: an expression like arrest without warrant is simply a restatement of the situation but isn’t the standard term; unlawful arrest implies illegality regardless of circumstances; and probable cause arrest refers to the justification for detaining, not specifically the absence of a warrant.

The concept tested is the terminology used when an arrest happens without a prior warrant. In practice, officers may arrest without a warrant when there is probable cause and the situation allows immediate action (such as certain exigent circumstances or an offense in progress). The precise term for this is warrantless arrest. It’s not automatically unlawful, since many jurisdictions provide lawful bases for these arrests under specific conditions. The other options aren’t as accurate: an expression like arrest without warrant is simply a restatement of the situation but isn’t the standard term; unlawful arrest implies illegality regardless of circumstances; and probable cause arrest refers to the justification for detaining, not specifically the absence of a warrant.