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New law makes it difficult for civilians to create arrest warrants

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The legislature made it more difficult starting Dec. 1 for civilians to take out warrants against each other.

The problem was a lot of people ended up in jail over a lie.

"Yes, it will have an impact or private citizens attempting to get warrants for charges," Mecklenburg County Chief Magistrate Khalif Rhodes said.

Under the old system, all someone needed to take out a warrant on somebody was his or her word. Under the new system, someone will have to fill out an affidavit and will need an independent witness or a police officer.

The magistrate agrees the defendant or suspect won't be arrested, but in many cases, they will get a criminal summons.

Some police officers object because a lot of their cases could fall into the summons category.

"That's how I would address the question of their frustration,” Rhodes said. “I am required to follow only what the statute gave me the authority to do."

One of the worst aspects of the old system was that if people were falsely accused, they would still get processed in the system.

Under a summons, that individual would not be in the spotlight if they just show up for court.

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