Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A lawful arrest is when a police officer or other legal authority takes someone into custody because they have committed a crime or there is evidence that they have. This can happen with a warrant or if the officer has probable cause. It is different from an unlawful arrest, which happens when someone is taken into custody without a valid reason or without a warrant.
Definition: A lawful arrest is the taking of a person into legal custody either under a valid warrant or on probable cause that the person has committed a crime.
Examples:
These examples illustrate that a lawful arrest can occur either with a warrant or without one, as long as there is probable cause that the person has committed a crime.