Definition of probable cause
: a reasonable ground for supposing that a charge is well-founded
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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 of probable cause from the Web
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Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled Friday that the warrants issued to search the cellphones belonging to defendants were not overly broad and were completed after probable cause had been established.
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Witnesses called police on May 26, reporting a man who was waving a gun around while walking down the street, a prosecutor said in probable cause court on Tuesday.
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The preliminary report does not yet indicate probable cause or fault.
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After the lengthly investigation, detectives were able to establish probable cause that Voss was solely responsible for the crime.
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Earlier, in 1993, the Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that Corrigan, along with several commissioners and a former city attorney violated ethics codes by taking free memberships in the Country Club of Coral Gables.
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His attorneys, however, filed a petition challenging that bond amount, saying the amount is too high and there is not competent evidence or probable cause.
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Seven of those cases, or less than two percent, were substantiated, which means that investigators found probable cause that harassment occurred, according to the information provided by the city.
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If a judge finds that probable cause exists, the law enforcement agency can retain custody of the guns.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'probable cause.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of probable cause
circa 1676
PROBABLE CAUSE Defined for English Language Learners
probable cause
Definition of probable cause for English Language Learners
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law : evidence that gives someone a reason to think that a crime has been or is being committed
Law Dictionary
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