General Warrant in United Kingdom

Definition of General Warrant

In accordance with the work A Dictionary of Law, this is a description of General Warrant : A warrant for arrest that does not name or describe the person to be arrested, or a search warrant that does not specify the premises to be searched or the property sought. Such warrants are usually illegal, although they may sometimes be expressly authorized by statute (See power of search). Someone arrested under an illegal general warrant can claim damages for *false imprisonment. Sometimes, however, Parliament grants a general power of arrest while searching premises with a search warrant, e.g. under the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963.