A fugitive from justice can be arrested for a felony anywhere in the state. Which statement is true?

• A. An arrest may occur anywhere in the state.
• B. Extradition is always required before arrest.
• C. Such arrests require a formal warrant in all cases.
• D. The arrest must occur in the jurisdiction where the crime occurred.

Answer: (A)

A fugitive from justice can be arrested anywhere within the state because the state’s authority to pursue and detain someone charged with a felony follows the fugitive wherever they go inside that state. The goal is to ensure the person isn’t able to evade prosecution by simply moving to another part of the same state, so officers can take them into custody in any county or locality where they’re found, pending the proper steps to bring them back to stand trial. If the fugitive is located in another state, extradition between states is the process used to return them, not a requirement that stops the initial arrest within the state where they’re found. That’s why the statement that an arrest may occur anywhere in the state is the accurate one. The other options aren’t correct because extradition isn’t required before arrest within the same state, not every felony arrest requires a formal warrant in every situation, and the arrest doesn’t have to occur in the jurisdiction where the crime happened.