Arrest warrants, like civil complaints and convictions, are public record. This means they are available for any member of the public to view. If you have a suspicion that somebody you know might have an active warrant out for his arrest or if you want to see if an arrest warrant is in place for you, you can run a free warrant check of law enforcement databases. You can perform your search online.
Information to Use in Your Search
Conducting a free warrant check requires less information than searching for other types of criminal records, like incarceration and conviction records. To conduct an online arrest warrant search, all you need to provide is:
- The first and last names of the person for whom you are conducting the search.
- The state records for the search.
With this information, you can easily find if an arrest warrant is in place for the individual whose name you provided on the site.
Conduct a Public Arrest Warrant Search
Because arrest warrants are public record, counties must make them available for inquiries. Often, arrest warrant databases are accessible online. Visit the website for the county in which you think an arrest warrant could have been issued to access that county’s warrant database. You can also contact the clerk of the county court to conduct a free warrant check using information such as the name, known address and the date of birth of the individual.
Depending on how public records are made available in your state, you might need to check your state’s official website. By checking your state’s website, you also can find arrest warrants issued by state troopers. Additionally, you can also conduct a federal arrest warrant search by either contacting the federal court that handled that specific case or by contacting the Administrative Office of the United States Courts.
Read More: How to Search Free Arrest Warrants
Use a Private Arrest Warrant Search Provider
In many cases, it’s faster to conduct an arrest warrant search via a privately owned website. These web databases pull from public records. When you conduct a search this way, it’s important to keep in mind that while government records are always up to date, these private websites’ records might not be. They can be a useful starting point for your search, but to ensure that the information you obtain is correct, always cross-reference it with information obtained from a government source.
A few reputable websites that provide free warrant checks are:
- SearchQuarry.com.
- BackgroundDigger.com.
- ArrestWarrant.org.
- TheMostWanted.net.
On many of these websites, you also can search other types of court records such as arrest records and previous convictions. In many cases, certain information, such as an individual’s name, previous cities of residence and known aliases, are available for free. Other information, like a full background report, usually costs money to access.
Speak to Law Enforcement Directly
If you are having trouble finding arrest warrants online and through public database searches, chances are the arrest warrant you are looking for does not exist. However, you can find out if the arrest warrant you think might exist does, in fact, by contacting the local sheriff’s department and asking about the warrant directly. Some sheriff departments even have dedicated lines specifically for arrest warrant inquiries.
When you contact the sheriff’s office, provide as much information as you can about the individual for whom you think there might be an active warrant in place. This is the same information used to conduct searches online.
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Writer Bio
Lindsay Kramer is a freelance writer and editor who has been working in the legal niche since 2012. Her primary focus areas within this niche are family law and personal injury law. Lindsay works closely with a few legal marketing agencies, providing blog posts, website content and marketing materials to law firms across the United States.