How Do I Know If There Is a Warrant Out for My Arrest?

This may come as a surprise, but many people who have warrants out for their arrest have no idea that such a warrant even exists. This can happen for a variety of different reasons, but the crux of the matter is that anyone who suspects that there may be a warrant out for their arrest would likely be well served by knowing for sure whether or not there is a warrant out there with their name on it.

Is there a Warrant Out for My Arrest?

Criminal cases are mostly a matter of public record so there are a few simple ways to check if there is a warrant out for your arrest. For example, you can:

1. Search on the Government’s Website: Not all county websites make it possible to search for warrants online but many do off this service so if you suspect that there may be a warrant out for your arrest it’s a good idea to simply visit the website of the county where the warrant would most likely have been issued and conduct a site search. For example, if you suspect that a warrant for your arrest may have been issued the city you live in, you can visit your county website and conduct a warrant search. You also may want to consider checking city, state, and/or federal government websites as well.
2. Call the County Clerk’s Office: You can also check if there is a warrant out for your arrest by calling the county clerk’s office directly. When making this call you do not need to identify yourself, you can simply inquire if there is an outstanding warrant for a particular individual’s name.
3. Go to the County Courthouse: Most county courthouses have public computers that can be used to search the county’s outstanding warrant database free of charge. However, if there is a warrant out for your arrest you may want to think twice before walking into a courthouse, but you can always ask someone else to go there and conduct the search for you.
4. Hire a Warrant Search Service: Additionally, there are also third-party services that you can hire to conduct a warrant search for you.

Contact Us for Help with Your Case 

If you come to discover that there is, in fact, a warrant out for your arrest the best thing that you can do is to proactively deal with the situation in a timely manner. This is one of those situations where sticking your head in the sand and pretending that the problem doesn’t exist will likely only exacerbate the situation.

If the warrant was issued for a relatively minor infraction, then your best move may be to simply inquire about the charges that have been levied against you and voluntarily respond to the warrant. However, please note that the best thing you can do to protect your legal rights is to immediately consult with a local criminal defense lawyer about your legal options.

If you have been charged with a crime, contact an experienced criminal defense lawyer in San Francisco for help in defending against these charges.

Thanks to the Morales Law Firm for their insight into criminal law and your constitutional rights.