Any state's Department of Justice will tell a person if he has any outstanding arrest warrants. The only problem is that, if there are outstanding warrants, that person could be arrested on the spot. Not surprisingly, a small industry has arisen around discreetly performing background checks and finding arrest warrants. This can be helpful when meeting someone new, meeting conditions of employment, or in determining whether you have been a victim of identity theft and a crime committed in your name.
Ask the State Department of Justice
If a check for warrants is part of an employment screening process, the most thorough and reliable approach is to have the job applicant apply for a full background check with the state's Department of Justice or attorney general's office. This typically involves filling out forms available through a website, getting fingerprinted at an authorized site, and paying a small processing fee. Usually, a response can be obtained with this method within three days.
Ask the State Court
Arrest warrants are issued by state courts for the detainment of a person on probable cause of a crime, and are a matter of public record. Most court systems have websites, but will require an in-person visit to search the public records for an arrest warrant in a person's name. Depending on the court, this might be done through a clerk or through a computerized database. Since many people can have the same or similar names, it's helpful to have some corroborating information such as an address or Social Security number.
Hire a Private Search Firm
Another discreet way to search for outstanding warrants is through any one of a number of online search firms (see Resources). These will take as much information as can be provided, including aliases and all known addresses, and conduct searches in all relevant jurisdictions for as little as $40. The information provided will include much more than just arrest warrants, but these will appear if issued.