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Report of the Director of the Administrative Office 

of the United States Courts 

on Applications for Delayed-Notice Search Warrants and Extensions

The USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 requires the Director of the 

Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO) to transmit to Congress annually a full 

and complete report summarizing information reported by judges to the AO on delayed-notice 

search warrants. The report is to include the number of applications for warrants and extensions 

of warrants authorizing delayed notice and the number of such warrants and extensions granted 

or denied during the preceding fiscal year. The requirement to report this information to 

Congress began with the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007. 

This report covers applications for delayed-notice search warrants and extensions between 

October 1, 2014, and September 30, 2015. 

Reporting Requirements of the Statute

Any federal or state judge who issues or denies a federal warrant authorizing delayed notice, or 

an extension of such a warrant, is required to file a report on the warrant with the AO (18 U.S.C. 

§ 3103a(d)(1)). This report is to be furnished not later than 30 days after the expiration of the 

warrant’s notice period (including any extensions to the notice period) or 30 days after the denial 

of the warrant or the request for extension. The report must include the offense specified in the 

warrant or application, the period of delay authorized, the number and duration of any 

extensions, and the action taken on the application. 

The AO is required to report annually to Congress on the information submitted by judges for the 

preceding fiscal year. This report must include the number of applications for delayed-notice 

search warrants and extensions and the number of warrants and extensions granted or denied (18 

U.S.C. § 3103a(d)(2)). 

Summary and Analysis of Reports for Fiscal Year 2015

Summary data on applications for delayed-notice search warrants and extensions for fiscal year 

2015 are shown in Table 1. A total of 9,256 warrant requests and 5,545 requests for extensions 

were reported for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2015. Twenty-eight of the applications 

reported were denied, 54 of the applications were granted as modified, and the rest were granted 

as requested. 

Judges in 91 federal judicial districts reported actions on applications for delayed-notice search 

warrants or extensions. The highest numbers of applications were reported by judges in the 

Northern District of Illinois (753), the Western District of Texas (619), the Northern District of 

Ohio (615), the Southern District of Texas (589), the Eastern District of Michigan (585), and the 

Southern District of New York (573); applications in these six districts accounted for a quarter of 

all applications reported. Of the 14,801 applications reported by all districts, 13,769 (93 percent) 
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were reported by federal magistrate judges, and 1,022 were reported by federal district judges. 

Ten applications were reported by state judges. 

The periods of delay specified ranged from 1 day to 999 days. The most frequently reported 

period of delay was 30 days, specified in 6,678 (45 percent) of the applications that were 

granted. (See Graph 1.) Requests for extensions to a delay numbered from 1 to 18, with first 

extensions being the most frequently requested in 2015. (See Graph 2.) 

Offenses

Table 2 presents the types of offenses specified in delayed-notice search warrant and extension 

requests reported in 2015. Drug offenses were specified in 81 percent of applications reported, 

followed by fraud (5 percent), extortion/racketeering (3 percent), and sex offenses (2 percent). 

 
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Table 1. Delayed-notice warrant and extension requests - fiscal year 2015

 Total 

requests 

Average 

delay 

(in 

days) 

Warrant 

requests Granted 

Granted 

as 

modified Denied 

Extension 

requests Granted 

Granted 

as 

modified Denied 

 

ALL CIRCUITS 14,801 69 9,256 9,191 43 22 5,545 5,528 11 6 

 

DC CIRCUIT 92 62 80 78 1 1 12 12 0 0 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 92 62 80 78 1 1 12 12 0 0 

 

FIRST CIRCUIT 856 50 555 530 24 1 301 301 0 0 

MAINE 44 52 25 24 0 1 19 19 0 0 

MASSACHUSETTS 343 49 234 234 0 0 109 109 0 0 

NEW HAMPSHIRE 65 69 21 21 0 0 44 44 0 0 

RHODE ISLAND 213 60 93 93 0 0 120 120 0 0 

PUERTO RICO 191 34 182 158 24 0 9 9 0 0 

 

SECOND CIRCUIT 925 86 836 830 5 1 89 88 1 0 

CONNECTICUT 5 102 4 4 0 0 1 1 0 0 

NEW YORK (NORTHERN) 18 48 15 14 1 0 3 3 0 0 

NEW YORK (EASTERN) 160 34 142 142 0 0 18 18 0 0 

NEW YORK (SOUTHERN) 573 111 558 554 3 1 15 14 1 0 

NEW YORK (WESTERN) 97 63 65 65 0 0 32 32 0 0 

VERMONT 72 41 52 51 1 0 20 20 0 0 

 

THIRD CIRCUIT 414 46 308 308 0 0 106 106 0 0 

DELAWARE 24 38 21 21 0 0 3 3 0 0 

NEW JERSEY 101 69 31 31 0 0 70 70 0 0 

PENNSYLVANIA (EASTERN) 3 90 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 0 

PENNSYLVANIA (MIDDLE) 146 31 141 141 0 0 5 5 0 0 

PENNSYLVANIA (WESTERN) 137 47 112 112 0 0 25 25 0 0 

VIRGIN ISLANDS 3 35 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 

 

FOURTH CIRCUIT 1,028 44 791 788 2 1 237 237 0 0 

MARYLAND 507 35 422 422 0 0 85 85 0 0 

NORTH CAROLINA (EASTERN) 29 44 18 17 1 0 11 11 0 0 

NORTH CAROLINA (MIDDLE) 28 30 27 27 0 0 1 1 0 0 

NORTH CAROLINA (WESTERN) 230 43 159 158 1 0 71 71 0 0 

SOUTH CAROLINA 124 69 75 75 0 0 49 49 0 0 

VIRGINIA (EASTERN) 31 47 23 23 0 0 8 8 0 0 
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 Total 

requests 

Average 

delay 

(in 

days) 

Warrant 

requests Granted 

Granted 

as 

modified Denied 

Extension 

requests Granted 

Granted 

as 

modified Denied 

VIRGINIA (WESTERN) 66 66 58 57 0 1 8 8 0 0 

WEST VIRGINIA (NORTHERN) 2 30 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 

WEST VIRGINIA (SOUTHERN) 11 46 7 7 0 0 4 4 0 0 

 

FIFTH CIRCUIT 1,924 60 1,350 1,341 5 4 574 574 0 0 

LOUISIANA (EASTERN) 108 31 106 106 0 0 2 2 0 0 

LOUISIANA (MIDDLE) 3 82 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 

LOUISIANA (WESTERN) 111 53 67 67 0 0 44 44 0 0 

MISSISSIPPI (NORTHERN) 21 89 7 7 0 0 14 14 0 0 

MISSISSIPPI (SOUTHERN) 74 12 73 73 0 0 1 1 0 0 

TEXAS (NORTHERN) 379 62 261 258 0 3 118 118 0 0 

TEXAS (EASTERN) 19 75 15 14 1 0 4 4 0 0 

TEXAS (SOUTHERN) 589 71 427 422 4 1 162 162 0 0 

TEXAS (WESTERN) 619 57 390 390 0 0 229 229 0 0 

 

SIXTH CIRCUIT 1,867 61 957 952 2 3 910 902 8 0 

KENTUCKY (EASTERN) 93 34 54 53 0 1 39 34 5 0 

KENTUCKY (WESTERN) 155 66 63 63 0 0 92 92 0 0 

MICHIGAN (EASTERN) 585 70 296 293 1 2 289 286 3 0 

MICHIGAN (WESTERN) 46 51 37 36 1 0 9 9 0 0 

OHIO (NORTHERN) 615 65 247 247 0 0 368 368 0 0 

OHIO (SOUTHERN) 202 43 145 145 0 0 57 57 0 0 

TENNESSEE (EASTERN) 55 60 35 35 0 0 20 20 0 0 

TENNESSEE (MIDDLE) 85 48 57 57 0 0 28 28 0 0 

TENNESSEE (WESTERN) 31 34 23 23 0 0 8 8 0 0 

 

SEVENTH CIRCUIT 1,188 77 696 694 2 0 492 491 1 0 

ILLINOIS (NORTHERN) 753 83 359 359 0 0 394 394 0 0 

ILLINOIS (CENTRAL) 73 59 51 49 2 0 22 21 1 0 

ILLINOIS (SOUTHERN) 55 70 22 22 0 0 33 33 0 0 

INDIANA (NORTHERN) 65 69 58 58 0 0 7 7 0 0 

INDIANA (SOUTHERN) 130 51 121 121 0 0 9 9 0 0 

WISCONSIN (EASTERN) 109 83 84 84 0 0 25 25 0 0 

WISCONSIN (WESTERN) 3 90 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 

 

 
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 Total 

requests 

Average 

delay 

(in 

days) 

Warrant 

requests Granted 

Granted 

as 

modified Denied 

Extension 

requests Granted 

Granted 

as 

modified Denied 

EIGHTH CIRCUIT 876 73 528 527 0 1 348 347 0 1 

ARKANSAS (EASTERN) 57 60 45 45 0 0 12 12 0 0 

ARKANSAS (WESTERN) 36 34 32 32 0 0 4 4 0 0 

IOWA (NORTHERN) 18 99 6 6 0 0 12 12 0 0 

IOWA (SOUTHERN) 113 50 77 77 0 0 36 36 0 0 

MINNESOTA 135 57 72 72 0 0 63 63 0 0 

MISSOURI (EASTERN) 134 88 41 41 0 0 93 92 0 1 

MISSOURI (WESTERN) 207 55 108 108 0 0 99 99 0 0 

NEBRASKA 112 43 84 84 0 0 28 28 0 0 

NORTH DAKOTA 58 281 57 57 0 0 1 1 0 0 

SOUTH DAKOTA 6 30 6 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 

 

NINTH CIRCUIT 3,237 83 1,928 1,920 2 6 1,309 1,305 1 3 

ALASKA 52 47 38 38 0 0 14 14 0 0 

ARIZONA 466 68 200 200 0 0 266 266 0 0 

CALIFORNIA (NORTHERN) 201 58 141 141 0 0 60 60 0 0 

CALIFORNIA (EASTERN) 339 45 260 260 0 0 79 79 0 0 

CALIFORNIA (CENTRAL) 443 69 268 261 2 5 175 174 0 1 

CALIFORNIA (SOUTHERN) 450 83 237 236 0 1 213 211 0 2 

HAWAII 102 90 76 76 0 0 26 26 0 0 

IDAHO 30 39 26 26 0 0 4 4 0 0 

MONTANA 59 47 41 41 0 0 18 18 0 0 

NEVADA 51 76 36 36 0 0 15 14 1 0 

OREGON 425 184 266 266 0 0 159 159 0 0 

WASHINGTON (EASTERN) 209 85 100 100 0 0 109 109 0 0 

WASHINGTON (WESTERN) 267 85 149 149 0 0 118 118 0 0 

GUAM 135 58 82 82 0 0 53 53 0 0 

NORTHERN MARIANAS - - - - - - - - - - 

 

TENTH CIRCUIT 1,124 64 577 577 0 0 547 547 0 0 

COLORADO 347 55 172 172 0 0 175 175 0 0 

KANSAS 528 76 204 204 0 0 324 324 0 0 

NEW MEXICO 155 47 126 126 0 0 29 29 0 0 

OKLAHOMA (NORTHERN) 32 52 27 27 0 0 5 5 0 0 

OKLAHOMA (EASTERN) 4 64 3 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 

OKLAHOMA (WESTERN) - - - - - - - - - - 

UTAH 38 35 36 36 0 0 2 2 0 0 

WYOMING 20 66 9 9 0 0 11 11 0 0 
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 Total 

requests 

Average 

delay 

(in 

days) 

Warrant 

requests Granted 

Granted 

as 

modified Denied 

Extension 

requests Granted 

Granted 

as 

modified Denied 

ELEVENTH CIRCUIT 1,269 78 649 645 0 4 620 618 0 2 

ALABAMA (NORTHERN) 9 47 8 8 0 0 1 1 0 0 

ALABAMA (MIDDLE) 30 44 28 28 0 0 2 2 0 0 

ALABAMA (SOUTHERN) 9 57 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 

FLORIDA (NORTHERN) 80 76 56 55 0 1 24 24 0 0 

FLORIDA (MIDDLE) 164 79 98 98 0 0 66 66 0 0 

FLORIDA (SOUTHERN) 506 63 270 267 0 3 236 234 0 2 

GEORGIA (NORTHERN) 447 101 164 164 0 0 283 283 0 0 

GEORGIA (MIDDLE) - - - - - - - - - - 

GEORGIA (SOUTHERN) 24 30 16 16 0 0 8 8 0 0 

STATE 10 30 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 

STATE 10 30 10 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 
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Report of the Director of the Administrative Office 

of the United States Courts 

on Applications for Delayed-Notice Search Warrants and Extensions 

 

Table 2. Offenses specified for delayed-notice warrant and extension requests - fiscal year 2015 

 Reports Warrants Extensions 

Offense Number Percent* Number Percent* Number Percent* 

 

Total 14,801 100% 9,256 100% 5,545 100% 

 

Drugs 12,056 81% 7,173 77% 4,883 88% 

Fraud 686 5% 527 6% 159 3% 

Extortion / Racketeering 428 3% 225 2% 203 4% 

Sex Offenses 291 2% 249 3% 42 - 

Weapons 205 - 168 2% 37 - 

Fugitive / Escape 180 - 177 2% 3 - 

Other 168 - 109 - 59 - 

Immigration 160 - 115 - 45 - 

Theft 129 - 104 - 25 - 

Robbery 86 - 69 - 17 - 

Terrorism 83 - 76 - 7 - 

Kidnapping 67 - 43 - 24 - 

Smuggling 64 - 42 - 22 - 

Obstruction 49 - 43 - 6 - 

Murder 48 - 48 - 0 - 

Unspecified 41 - 34 - 7 - 

Counterfeit 34 - 29 - 5 - 

Tax 26 - 25 - 1 - 

 

* Percentages not shown where the percentage is less than 2%. 
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Graph 1. Periods of delayed notice - fiscal year 2015

Graph 2. Numbers of extensions requested - fiscal year 2015

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

30 45 60 90 180 Other

Number of applications

Period of delay authorized, in days

Periods of Delayed Notice

Extensions

Warrants

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9+

Frequency

Number of extensions reported

Total Numbers of Extensions