<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gps" article_name="Public Safety" number="6-315" title_number="6" title_name="State Fire Prevention Commission and State Fire Marshal" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="State Fire Marshal">
  <level label="a">
    <text>The State Fire Marshal, a designee of the State Fire Marshal, a full-time fire investigator who is a member of a fire department, or a police officer may apply to a judge of the District Court or a circuit court for an administrative search warrant to enter a vehicle, building, or premises where a fire has occurred to conduct a search to determine the cause and origin of the fire.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>An application under subsection (a) of this section shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>be in writing;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>be signed and sworn to by the applicant; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>particularly describe the vehicle, building, or premises to be searched and the nature, scope, and purpose of the search to be performed by the applicant.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A judge of the District Court or a circuit court may issue the warrant on finding that:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>a fire of undetermined origin has occurred;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the scope of the proposed search is reasonable and will not intrude unnecessarily on the fire victim’s privacy;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the search will be executed at a reasonable and convenient time; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>the owner, tenant, or other individual in charge of the property has denied access to the property, or after making a reasonable effort, the applicant has been unable to locate any of these individuals.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An administrative search warrant issued under this section shall specify the vehicle, building, or premises to be searched.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The search conducted may not exceed the limits specified in the warrant.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>An administrative search warrant issued under this section shall be executed and returned to the judge who issued it within:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the time specified in the warrant, not exceeding 30 days; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>if no time period is specified in the warrant, 15 days after its issuance.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
