In most cases, arrest records and court dates are made available to the public thanks to open record laws, also known as sunshine laws. These open record laws make most arrest records and court dates accessible with the exception of cases involving juveniles or cases still under investigation. A check to see if someone has been arrested and when their court date is can be made simple by knowing the correct process.
Determine the name of the individual you are searching for. Gather some information about the individual to ensure you have located the correct person, as jails often house offenders with the same name. Knowing the person’s date of birth, home address or driver license number will help in verifying the correct person’s identity.
Read More: How to Search Arrest Records Online
Find out where the arrest occurred. You will need to know what jurisdiction the person was arrested in and when it occurred. Look up the phone number for the county jail in that jurisdiction. The county jail will often be listed as the sheriff department in public listings, as the sheriff is usually responsible for county jails.
Call the county jail and ask to speak to someone regarding an inmate. You will then ask if the person you are looking for is in custody. Ensure that you have located the correct name by verifying their date of birth, home address or any other related information. If the person is not in custody, ask when the last date of arrest occurred for that person.
Contact the local general sessions court, as this court will usually hold arraignments and preliminary hearings for people who have been arrested. Ask to speak with someone about docket scheduling. Ask the docket scheduler when the named individual is scheduled to appear in court. The docket scheduler will be able to provide you all dates that are currently listed.