Which term describes the legal process to obtain permission for a search?

The term that describes the legal process to obtain permission for a search is a search warrant. A search warrant is a legal document issued by a judge or magistrate that allows law enforcement officers to search a specified location for evidence of a crime. This legal process is crucial as it protects individuals' Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures, ensuring that law enforcement must demonstrate probable cause before being granted access to private property.

In contrast, a subpoena refers to a document that orders an individual to appear in court or produce evidence, but it does not grant permission to search premises. An affidavit is a written statement confirmed by oath, used to support a request for a witness or to establish probable cause in the application for a search warrant, but it is not itself the permission to search. Interrogation, meanwhile, is the process of questioning a suspect or witness to gather information about a crime, not related to searching a location. Therefore, the search warrant is the appropriate term for obtaining legal permission for a search.