4 ways to check for arrest warrants - Good, Bad, and the Ugly

If you think you or someone you know has an arrest warrant out, then it is probably necessary to discover it. Learning about an arrest warrant early on can help you be on guard, and prepare. Listed below are some of the most known ways to search an arrest warrant, whether for yourself or for someone you recently met. I am going to put the best first because I want you to read it and then go try it yourself:

1. Search an online public records database - absolutely good

This should be your first step. Online public records databases are the easiest and most comprehensive way to search for arrest warrants. To find an arrest warrant, simply search the name of the person, as well as the state you believe the warrant was issued from, and you can begin searching. Another great advantage of public records databases is their ability to preserve your anonymity, because the person you are searching does not get notified of the search. If you find success with public records databases, you should skip to the last step.

2. Make a call to a county courthouse - bad, especially if searching for yourself

Your next option (if you still think there is a warrant) is to contact the county court that may have drafted the warrant. A phone call may work, although waiting times would be expected. In addition, access to the county clerk is usually requested, and you may have to wait longer to process your application. However, after that, you can expect any matches to be sent to your address.

3. Contact a local police department - ugly, especially if you don’t know which county

If the county courthouse has not turned anything around, you may want to contact the police department that issued the warrant. But, keep in mind, even though their speed is a bit more tolerable, they need to be recognized. If there is a warrant for you, they can try to find the call, and arrest you as soon as possible. In addition, if the region is not digitized, it may take even longer to find the warrant. They may not even provide the warrant, which means you may need to contact other county or nearby police departments to get what you are looking for.

4. Speak with a lawyer - ugly and very expensive

If you find the warrant, this should be your last resort. Immediately try to contact a lawyer, and meet with them. They will be able to understand your role and give you an informed course of action to take. Additionally, if none of the other options have reversed warrant arrest, this may be a last resort. However, you can expect steep fees for using the lawyer’s time, and if a warrant is not turned up, you will have spent a lot of time and effort verifying what you found to already be true on Warrant Searches!