The best method to perform a search for warrants

In the U.S., a judge can issue a warrant for your arrest for many reasons, including criminal activity or failure to appear in court. A judge can issue a bench warrant and police may never find the person who the judge wants to see.

If you think that there may be an outstanding warrant against you (a warrant that can be used to arrest you at any time), it is very important that you address the situation right away or risk being arrested or detained.

Even if the warrant has been outstanding for many years, you could be arrested at any time for an old, unresolved warrant. 

Here are the steps that involve the best methods on how to search for warrants:

1. Determining whether you have an outstanding warrant:

When dealing with an outstanding warrant, you may be facing either a bench warrant or an arrest warrant. While both warrants require that you be brought to jail, the underlying reasons for the warrants are different. 

A bench warrant is generally issued because a person failed to appear in court, violated probation, failed to pay a court-ordered fine, or failed to complete community service or pay child support.

An arrest warrant is typically issued if the police have demonstrated to a judge that they have enough evidence to arrest a person.

The consequences of failing to appear to a court sentence are:

• Bench warrant
• Jail sentence and fines
• Suspension of your driver’s license
• Bond revocation or change in conditions of release

If you have an out of state warrant, there are a number of different things that can happen. The result will typically depend on what the arrest warrant is for. If you have an arrest warrant for a felony crime, then you will almost certainly be arrested in another state. For most misdemeanors, states will not extradite people who have been arrested. However, many states will choose to arrest and extradite if you happen to have a warrant.

In all cases, it is important to know that the real answer is that “it depends.” A bench warrant may be executed at the discretion of the officer or department that pulls you over or finds you in that second state.

Warrants do not expire after a certain period of time like many hope.  Likewise, there is no statute of limitations applicable to one being arrested on a warrant.

1. 1. Understand the potential consequences for failing to appear in court

• How to check and search for outstanding warrants

If you suspect that a bench warrant or arrest warrant may have been issued for you, you can check for these warrants locally or online by providing the following information: your full name, approximate age, and the place where the warrant was issued. You can actually conduct an online, nationwide warrant search for all cities and states.

You can search for outstanding warrants in the following ways:

• If you know the specific courthouse that issued the warrant, go to that court’s website and look for the public records section. You should be able to search for the warrant.
• You can call your local court and ask the clerk if there is an outstanding warrant. However, there is a chance that your phone call could be traced and used to locate you.
• Similarly, you can call the federal court in the district where you think a warrant may be issued or search that court’s website for outstanding warrants. 
• You can find contact information for federal courts.
• You can find state-by-state information regarding free warrant searches on the internet although this can be a time-consuming option and not as accurate.
• Go to SpyFly.com run a warrant check in exchange for a fee.  This is the most accurate and up-to-date way to find a warrant in a person’s name.  SpyFly.com also offers a 7-day free trial.

1. Examine information obtained from the warrant check.

After you have searched the related warrant, it is very important to respond to the outstanding warrant, as follows:

1. Contact a criminal defense attorney

If you know you missed a court appearance or discover a court has issued a warrant against you, you don’t have to wait, worry, and wonder when you may be taken into custody. An outstanding warrant is a serious matter and not something you should try to handle on your own. An attorney will know the law and pertinent procedures and can advise you on your options. Consult with an attorney immediately.

1. Find out if your local district attorney has an amnesty program.
2. Contact the court that issued the warrant.

After completing these steps and search for the warrant, the next step, also the most important is resolving the outstanding warrant:

1. Prepare for an eventual arrest.
2. Prior to the eventual arrest, arrange for a bail bondsman.
3. Negotiate the time and place of your surrender.

SpyFly provides consumers affordable, immediate access to public record information. Federal laws prohibit businesses from using SpyFly’s service to make decisions about employment, insurance, consumer credit, tenant screening, or for any other purpose subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq.