A search warrant is a court order that gives law enforcement permission and instructions to search a particular place or area for the purpose of attempting to discover illegal materials or evidence of a crime.
Search warrants are necessary in many cases to avoid breaching the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens against unlawful searches and seizures.
Generally, a search warrant must be signed and approved by a judge in order to be valid. Search warrants are commonly needed when the area to be searched is private property, such as the inside of a house or private business premises.
However, just because law enforcement has a search warrant does not mean that it will uncover criminal evidence or unlawful materials through the search. Search warrants simply grant permission to law enforcement to conduct the search.