Search Warrant Procedural Question
Suppose law enforcement seizes a cellphone following a warrantless arrest and later obtains a search warrant for the phone.
The officer attempts to access the phone, including seeking assistance from an outside forensic agency, but is ultimately unable to bypass the passcode or recover any data.
Is the officer still required to file a return and/or inventory with the issuing court after the warrant is executed, even if no data is successfully extracted?
More broadly, what court records would ordinarily exist after a search warrant is issued but the search is unsuccessful?
I'm in Washington state if that matters.
Location: Washington State
Posted Jun 5, 2026, 4:39 AM UTC
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