When someone is arrested there is always a record of it. Whether or not that record is public, however, depends on a few different circumstances. For example, some information within an arrest report may be limited and the information may only be available if charges are filed. So, are arrest warrants public record? The short answer is kind of, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Unfortunately, it’s not a black-and-white yes or no when it comes to arrest records.
The good news is that we’re here to help. In this article, we help you learn more about arrest warrants, how to find them, and what you can learn from them. Read on to learn everything you need to know.
What Is an Arrest Warrant?
Before we can determine whether or not an arrest warrant is a public record, we first need to explain what exactly an arrest warrant is. An arrest warrant is a document issued by a magistrate or judge that gives law enforcement permission to arrest someone. The details of the crime are outlined in the warrant and the arrest must be for the crime outlined in that warrant. Essentially, it’s a legal document that gives police officers the ability to arrest someone.
The main purpose of an arrest warrant is to ensure that someone is being arrested and brought into custody based on evidence. Therefore, while it may seem like an arrest warrant is the police’s way of getting someone, they’re actually there to protect those who are placed under arrest.
What Are the Types of Arrest Warrants?
If you’re looking for an arrest warrant you need to know what you’re looking at, and that includes finding the right type of warrant. We take you through some of the most common types of arrest warrants below:
- Arrest Warrant: The most common type of warrant. It is issued by a judge when evidence is brought against someone for arrest.
- Bench Warrant: Like an arrest warrant, but judges issue them when someone doesn’t meet an obligation to the court.
- Fugitive Warrant: A unique arrest warrant that’s issued when someone is outside the jurisdiction of the crime.
- Alias Warrant: Assigned when someone fails to appear in court.
- Probation Violation Warrant: Issued by a judge when someone is believed to be in violation of probation.
- Felony Warrants: If someone commits a serious crime, a felony warrant may be assigned.
These are only a few examples of arrest warrants and other similar warrants. Depending on the type of warrant you’re searching for information may vary, so it’s something you should keep in mind.
Are Arrest Warrants Public Record?
Yes, arrest warrants tend to be public records. In most states there are laws in place that allow you to view information about someone’s criminal history, which includes their arrest records. For example, New York state has the Freedom of Information law that allows the public to view government records, which includes criminal records. For this reason, you can usually find arrest records in New York if they’re not sealed and if charges were brought against someone.
Still, that’s only for New York, so make sure you’re checking laws in your state – or the state where you want to view them.
How to Find an Arrest Warrant
If you want to find an arrest warrant, you have a few options. You can make your way down to the courthouse where charges were filed and the case was heard, look online, or use a public records search tool. The best option is the latter, but you can learn about all three options below.
1. Publicrecord.com
The best way to find an arrest warrant is to run a search with Publicrecord.com. We make finding all public records a breeze, ranging from arrest records to more in-depth criminal history reports. This is thanks to our ability to comb through billions of public records in a matter of minutes to deliver you a comprehensive report that contains all available public records – and that’s not even the best part.
When you open our full report you’ll find a wealth of information from all over the United States, so you don’t have to worry about bouncing around between state and federal databases. Furthermore, we keep our records up-to-date so you don’t have to worry about finding old information or being unable to use the information you’ve found. In fact, we’ll update you if any information changes after you run your search, and all you need to get started is someone’s name when you use our people search tool.
Still, the best part is the volume of information that you’ll come across when you run a search with publicrecord.com. You’ll find arrest records, sure, but also:
- Criminal court records
- Civil court records
- Sex offender status
- Jail records
- Personal information like someone’s full name
- Addresses
- Social media accounts
- Email addresses
- Dating profiles
- Work history
- Education background
Results can vary. You may find more or less information depending on the digital footprint of the person you’re trying to look up. Plus, if you don’t know someone’s name, don’t worry, you can also try a phone number or address.
2. Visit the County Clerk
When you want to find records fast you can visit the County Clerk’s office. You’ll need to visit the office in the location where the crime occurred, so make sure you know where that is. If you’re unsure, you can use one of our accurate people search tools to help you find the right clerk’s office.
Once you know where the office is you can schedule an appointment online or over the phone (or show up during business hours) and request a record of someone’s arrest. If the records are publicly available you won’t have any issues finding them this way, but you may need to provide additional information about the case including the arrested person’s name or the case number.
We also recommended checking with your state’s laws and regulations to determine if any information may be withheld from someone’s record before you get started.
3. Check Online
Look, sometimes you can’t beat checking online. If you’re looking into the arrest of a high-profile individual for example, an online search may be all you need to learn more. You can use search engines like Google to enter someone’s name followed by a keyword like arrest records and see what you can find. Even if it’s not a high-profile case, it may be possible to find someone’s arrest records online using a more advanced version of Google like an Advanced Search or Google Lens.
Google Advanced Search allows you to add more keywords to your search. You can add a location, limit results, or add more phrases that relate to your initial query. This tends to be more effective than your average Google search, but if you’re diving this deep down the rabbit hole, you might as well use a more reliable people search tool like the one we offer at publicrecords.com.
Google Lens, on the other hand, is more in-depth and effective than your average search, but only if you have a photograph. In this case, you’ll want to use a photograph of the individual and see if Google Lens shows any results. If you’re using a photograph, you’ll want to use a mugshot or something similar for the best results. That said, you might get lucky with a regular photograph as well.
4. Check with Police Departments
It’s also possible to find arrest records by checking with police departments. Most departments house information about arrests, and this is a great method to use if you’re searching for your own arrest records. If you’re looking for someone else’s arrest records, you’ll need to provide police with identification or information about the case to gain access.
Aside from police, you can also check with federal agencies if you believe that someone was arrested for a federal crime. Private investigators (PIs) can also help you find arrest records and work in similar ways as law enforcement – just not for free. If you want to go through law enforcement or prior law enforcement, these are your best options.
Find Arrest Records Today!
When it comes to arrest warrants, finding them isn’t hard once you know where to look. If you know that charges have been brought against someone, you can use our people search tool to find their arrest records. When you run a search with our people search tool you’ll find everything you need to know about an arrest, along with additional information about any crimes they may have committed.
That said, you can also visit your local county clerk or try a Google search. Before going these routes, make sure you check state laws to determine if someone’s records are publicly available. Otherwise, you may run into trouble or end up wasting time.
