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Examples of probable cause in a Sentence
The lawyer argued that there was a lack of probable cause for a search warrant.
The police had probable cause to arrest him.
Recent Examples on the Web
The family reached out to law enforcement, and investigators obtained cellphone records for a phone the kidnappers used to call the family, according to a probable cause statement filed in federal court last year.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2024
Information for six of the nine questions came from the probable cause affidavit.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2024
Police believe Johnson used a classmate’s Instagram account to message Germany and lure him out of the house before shooting him, according to a probable cause affidavit for Johnson’s arrest.
—Jake Allen, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Apr. 2024
Baldwin drew the revolver, pointed it at Hutchins and fired the weapon shortly before 2 p.m., striking her in the chest and injuring Souza, prosecutors said in the probable cause statement.
—Christina Maxouris, CNN, 15 Apr. 2024
The probable cause statement at first alleged that Gutierrez-Reed had loaded the .45 prior to taking a lunch break on Oct. 21, stored it, and retrieved it after lunch before handing it off, without performing the necessary safety checks, to the first assistant director, David Halls.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2024
The alleged incident, which police said was captured on dashcam video, happened about 12:30 p.m. March 10, Scottsdale police said in a probable cause statement.
—Erick Mendoza, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Amber Nicole Thompson was arrested Tuesday, April 2, in Jonesboro after her son was found walking alongside the road, Craighead County Sheriff’s deputies said in a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
—Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
According to new details filed in a probable cause affidavit, a resident flagged down a nearby Indiana State Police Trooper about 6:20 p.m. Tuesday to report the shooting that occurred in the 1300 block of Kappes Street.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'probable cause.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
circa 1676, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of probable cause was
circa 1676
Articles Related to probable cause
Dictionary Entries Near probable cause
Cite this Entry
“Probable cause.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/probable%20cause. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Legal Definition
probable cause
see cause sense 2
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