There are pieces of information that are lost on all of us. That’s simply one of the drawbacks of not being omniscient, unfortunately. The internet has made this task a lot easier and, in fact, you can find most information that you need just with a few clicks. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for information about Facebook’s recent whistleblower or just a new recipe for cake pops, everything you need is right there. One thing that many people seem to struggle with is warrant searches, but this, too, is child’s play if you know where to look.
What Exactly is a Warrant?
Because of the sheer breadth of our criminal justice system, there are a lot of things that people might not know much about. Warrants can even fall within that realm because while most people have heard of them, they might not know a whole lot about them. It’s important to understand exactly what a warrant is before we begin our journey to learning exactly how you can find them without much difficulty. Warrants would seem to be one of the simpler parts of our legal system, but the laws surrounding warrants are handled on a state-by-state basis, meaning that things can get really complicated really quickly.
We’re not going to go too far down that rabbit hole today, instead offering the simplest explanations that we can. Warrants are, in essence, orders that are signed by a judge, magistrate, or a mayor in some states that allow for the police to search or seize someone or their property. The reason why warrants are part of our legal system is because of the 4th amendment, which offers protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. So, that means that, essentially, a warrant makes an illegal action legal with approval from a party that is authorized to give such an order.
Where a warrant can be executed depends on the state. Some states only allow for warrants to be executed in the county where it was issued, while other states allow warrants to be executed anywhere in the state. States that only allow warrant execution in the county where it was issued usually allow for warrants to be endorsed by someone in another county to expand the range where the person in question can be taken in. Warrants can also be executed at any time on any day, anywhere in the country. If the defendant has fled to another state, there’s a good chance that they can be extradited back to the state where the warrant was issued.
Check with a Bail Bond Company
This may not be the first idea that comes to mind for most people, and we will cover that idea, don’t worry, but it can be a solid way to approach getting warrant information. Of course, the availability of this information can vary a lot from county to county or even company to company, but in some cases, bail bonds companies have access to warrant information and would be more than happy to share it with you. Your local laws can affect this heavily, but it can be worth a shot in a pinch.
All you need to do is find a bail bondsman’s phone number by using Google, another search engine, or even a phone book. Then you simply give them a call and ask nicely for the information that you’re looking for. Asking nicely is important because even if they do have the information, they aren’t under any obligation to share it with you. It’s also important to act courteously even if they don’t have the information you’re looking for because you never know if you might need to call them for help in the future, either for yourself or for a loved one.
Search Through Police Databases
Out of all of the methods, we’ll be taking a look at today, this is probably the first one you were thinking of. This method can be great if you only need to check in a couple of counties, but it can be rather bothersome for a lot of reasons. Many counties do a great job providing this kind of information to the people. They have nice, robust databases that are regularly updated and maintained that are just full of useful warrant information. That’s why this method can potentially be great if you have a bit of luck and only a county or two that you need to check in.
Unfortunately, this method does have some major drawbacks. The biggest is that not every county provides these kinds of databases, often opting for you to have to send in a picture of your I.D. to see if you specifically have any warrants out for your arrest. That can be useful if you are looking into warrant information for yourself, but less useful if you’re trying to vet someone. Other counties provide these databases and don’t do a great job keeping everything updated, so you can run into a lot of missing or outdated information that won’t be the most helpful for your search.
Lastly, these databases aren’t connected at all. Every county database operates independently and only contains information about active warrants that were issued in that county. That means that if you have three counties you need to check, you’ll need to go to each website independently and compile the information yourself. This leads to the potential of running into mismatches of information availability, which could leave you with just as much information as you started this search off with. No matter who you’re checking for warrants for, that won’t help you get to your end goal. We recommend only using this method if you only want to check in one or two counties that are good about keeping these databases up to date.
Lawyer Up
If you think you could be suspected of committing a serious crime, you might want to lawyer up before you make your next move. While a lawyer likely won’t provide you information on a third party without their consent, they do have access to information that isn’t available to the general public which means that they can see if you have warrants during a consultation or any other type of meeting. Lawyers might be expensive, but they’re also the only people that are able to give you actual legal advice because they have been certified to practice law in your state. That being said, this method is best reserved for worst-case scenarios.
Use an Online Service to Find Warrants
The best way to go about getting warrant information is to use something like a warrant search service or even a personal background check service. These kinds of services have been helping people find warrant information and more for decades, so you can be sure that they’ll be able to help you along with your search. If your toilet is broken, you’d generally call a plumber. If you need a bouquet made, you’d generally call a florist. Well, if you need information about active warrants someone has, you go to one of these services to get the information you need in the fastest and most efficient way possible.
The process for using one of these services couldn’t be easier. The first thing you need to do, which is probably the most complicated part of this entire process, is to find a good service. Google will provide you with literally thousands of options when you search through them, and a lot of those services are completely legit. Just be a little careful entering these websites to make sure that they are actually legit. You can usually tell by what they claim to provide on their website. If they claim to be able to get anything that isn’t considered public record, you can search to find out if something is or not if you’re concerned, they’re probably not completely on the up and up.
The way that these services work is actually super interesting. Their systems are designed to put your search against thousands and thousands of public record databases all over the United States. They’re able to instantly compile all of the relevant information and provide it to you on a single page for your reading convenience. All you need to do is enter in the required information, usually the person in question’s first and last name, and hit enter. After that, you’ll have access to all of their warrant information from all over the country.
Make Sure You Get the Warrant Information You Need the First Time
No one likes wasting time on something that won’t yield them any results, and trying to search for warrants can often feel like that’s exactly what’s happening if you don’t know where to look. Thankfully, there is a multitude of tools available online that can help you make this search a lot easier while also cutting back significantly on the amount of time that you need to spend on such a search. It’s easier than it’s ever been to find warrant information, no matter whose warrant information you’re looking into.