Find Out if you Have an Outstanding Warrant
It might be a little easier to get a warrant than you realize. Of course, when most people hear the word “warrant” they assume that it’s for a violent crime but that’s not always the case. Warrants are issued for any crime that was committed where the suspect got away before authorities got there, as well as for things like unpaid parking tickets. That means that if you weren’t aware you broke a law you can have a warrant for your arrest and be none the wiser. Knowing how to find out if there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest is pivotal if you want to be sure that you won’t be hauled away after a routine traffic stop.
Using Resources Provided by the Police
Many sheriff’s departments provide warrant information right on their website and even update it multiple times a day. If you can find warrant information this way fantastic, you’re done. Unfortunately, this method does have a few flaws. The first of which is the fact that not every country has the resources to make such a database realistic for them, so that means that there are plenty of counties that simply don’t have this information available right on their website. Even in counties that do have these databases, it’s common practice to not provide warrants for crimes of an especially sensitive nature or for suspects that have a high flight risk. So if you might have committed a crime that falls into either of these categories there’s a good chance that law enforcement isn’t looking to provide this information to you.
Performing a Personal Background Check
Personal background check companies have become more and more commonplace on the internet over the years, and with good reason. They have the ability to pull from public records all over the country and provide search results instantly. So if you need to find out if you have a warrant but you aren’t sure what county you may have committed a crime in, this method is especially useful and is also handy if you need to see what information is available about you on the public record.
Hiring an Attorney
If you think you may be suspected of a serious crime this is a good step to take anyway. Attorneys are the only people that have the qualifications to give you legal advice. Because of the nature of their work, they have access to databases that aren’t available to the public. That means that if you have a warrant for your arrest that your sheriff’s department wouldn’t put on their website you can still find the information that you need while also figuring out what your strategy is to either beat the case or reduce the punishment that you may face if convicted. Of course, attorneys are expensive but if you have the money and are worried that you’re a suspect of a serious crime it’s the best path to take.
Finding Warrants Shouldn’t Be Difficult
The internet has made all sorts of information available right at our fingertips. This means that you can find warrant information more easily than ever before. In the days before the internet, the only way to find this information was to either call or physically show up at the sheriff’s office, and for people that aren’t looking to turn themselves in either method is a little sketchy, to say the least. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case, and you can find out if you have a warrant in a matter of minutes without ever speaking to anyone.