A. If a magistrate be thereupon satisfied of the existence of grounds of the application, or that there is probable cause to believe their existence, he must issue a search warrant, signed by him, with his name of office, to a peace officer of this state, commanding him forthwith to search the person or place named, for the property specified, and to bring it before the magistrate, and also to arrest the person in whose possession the same may be found, to be dealt with according to law.

B. In addition to any other procedure authorized by law, a proposed search warrant, affidavit or both search warrant and affidavit may be communicated to the magistrate by telephone or by electronic mail or any similar electronic communication which delivers a complete printable image of the warrant or affidavit.

1. If the proposed search warrant is communicated telephonically, the affiant shall:

a.recite information establishing probable cause to support issuance of the search warrant, and

b.recite the proposed search warrant to the magistrate verbatim and obtain the oral permission of the magistrate to print the name of the magistrate on the search warrant along with the date and time of the signature.

The oral recorded authorization of the magistrate to print the name of the magistrate on the search warrant shall constitute issuance of the search warrant under this section. The conversation establishing probable cause, reciting the contents of the search warrant verbatim and any authorization to sign by the magistrate shall be audio-recorded, transcribed and filed together with the warrant in accordance with Section 1223.1 of this title.

2. If communication of the proposed affidavit is made by electronic mail or other electronic communication, the affidavit may contain a notarized acknowledgement or the affiant may swear to the affidavit by telephone. A magistrate administering an oath telephonically shall endorse upon the face of the affidavit the date and time which the affiant undertook the oath by telephone.

a.A warrant may be issued by the magistrate pursuant to this subsection by physically signing a printed copy of the affidavit and proposed warrant and transmitting said documents back to the affiant by electronic mail or other electronic communication. The printed copy received by the affiant shall constitute a search warrant and be executed as such. After execution, the search warrant shall be filed along with the printed copy of the affidavit received by the affiant, as provided for in Section 1233 of this title.

b.A magistrate may also issue a warrant pursuant to this paragraph without printing and signing a physical copy of the affidavit and warrant by return electronic communication to the affiant authorizing issuance of the warrant as submitted, or as modified by the magistrate, provided a copy of the modified document is included with the return electronic communication to the affiant.

C. A search warrant authorized by this section may be issued by any magistrate for a search of a person or property within the judicial district in which the magistrate presides or outside the judicial district if there was probable cause to believe the property was within the judicial district when the warrant was sought, but moved outside the judicial district before the warrant was executed.

R.L. 1910, § 6063. Amended by Laws 1982, c. 224, § 2; Laws 1990, c. 290, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Laws 2014, c. 75, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2014.