Who typically issues a warrant?

• A. Judge
• B. Clerk of Court
• C. Sheriff
• D. State Attorney

Answer: (B)

A warrant is a court order that authorizes police action, and the authority to sign that order rests with a judge or magistrate after reviewing the application. In practice, once a judge approves the warrant, the clerk of court is the official who actually issues the document, stamps it with the court seal, and handles the filing and distribution. The clerk’s role is to finalize and circulate the warrant, while the judge provides the legal authority behind it. The sheriff or other officers carry out the execution of the warrant, and the state attorney may help prepare and present the case, but they do not issue the warrant themselves.