Learn About Arizona Warrant Rules and Regulations

A warrant is a document issued by a state legal body that authorizes a law enforcement officer to arrest a person, search a person’s property, or seize his/her belongings.

Types of Arizona Warrants

There are various kinds of Arizona warrants: arrest warrants, search warrants, warrants of attachment, and bench warrants.

An Arizona warrant of arrest is an order to detain a person. It is issued when a crime is committed and there is a reasonable belief, substantiated by concrete evidence that a person was involved in the crime. An arrest warrant may also be issued against a person if s/he has failed to turn up in court in spite of a summoning order.

An AZ warrant for search allows a law enforcement officer to search a person or some premises if they believe that a crime is being committed. The warrant however, authorizes the officer to carry out arrests if narcotics are found on a person or at a location that is being searched. The law enforcement officers may also make arrests if they find substantial evidence of some crime being committed.

Armed with an Arizona warrant for attachment, a police officer can seize a defendant’s properties even before a trial has started to determine valid ownership rights to a property.

A bench warrant is issued against a person who has skipped his/her next scheduled court appearance.

Arizona Warrant Records

Arizona warrant laws do not permit expungement, which means that once a warrant has been issued against someone, the record stays for life. As per the laws of the land, all warrant records should be made available to the public. This has been done as a public safety measure. But AZ warrants involving juveniles are not available for public viewing. If the court orders some warrant records to be sealed, then these are removed from the public domain and you cannot access them anyhow.

In Arizona, the Department of Public Safety maintains warrant records. You can search for these records at the office of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, at 2102 W Encanto Boulevard, Phoenix, Arizona 85009-2847.

The Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) as well as the Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains a central database of criminal justice information which also contains all state warrant records. These records are available at their website http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/cjis.htm.

This information can also be requested by the subject of an identification record. You will have to send request in writing to CJIS to obtain copies of these state warrant records. Enclose some identity proof like the name of the individual, the place and date of his/her birth, and a set of fingerprint records along with the request. Mail this request or submit it at FBI’s CJIS Division, Attn: SCU, Mod. D-2, 1000, Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, West Virginia-26306. You will also have to attach an authorized check or money order amounting to USD 18 along with the written request.

Knowing the limits of Arizona warrants and where to look for warrant records will help protect yourself from unlawful arrests, searches, or seizures and also safeguard against free or released criminals.