Kaplan v. State

The appellant, Robert C. Kaplan, challenges the sufficiency of an application for a search warrant made by a private citizen. We affirm.

Kaplan contends that a private citizen has no authority to apply for a search warrant. There is no Florida statute or rule restricting private citizens from signing applications for search warrants. Indeed, the firsthand quality of the information sworn to by a private citizen may be superior to hearsay statements presently allowed under the law to support search warrant applications.1 The same safeguards and other legal requirements for the issuance and…