State Arrest Warrants: Requirements and Records

As per the guidelines laid down by the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, individuals shall be secure against unreasonable seizures. So no arrest warrants can be issued by a state unless there exists a probable cause for issuing it. A probable cause is a reasonable belief, substantiated by tangible evidence that a crime has been, or is being committed. A valid state arrest warrant contains the name of the person who is to be arrested. This can be a handwritten note from warrant issuing judge. A state arrest warrant must be issued by a neutral judicial official.

Exceptions to State Arrest Warrant Requirements

There are however, exceptions to the above-mentioned state arrest warrant requirements. Arrests may be made without warrants if circumstances make obtaining one impossible. Also in many cases, arrests without warrants have to be made if any delay would endanger human life or result in a criminal fleeing the scene of crime.

There are also some other instances where arrests can be made without warrants. For example, a person may waive his Fourth Amendment rights and agree to a warrantless arrest.

Public State Arrest Warrant Records

To ensure that citizens may safeguard themselves and their families against released or free criminals, the law requires that all arrest warrant records be made available for public viewing. In most U.S. states, the Department of Correctional Services maintains, updates, and makes available to the public this state arrest warrant information. You may acquire this information at the Departmental office or visit the official websites where these arrest records will be listed.

However, the state arrest warrant records where juveniles are involved are not made public. Also the court may order some arrest warrant records to be sealed, whence these records are removed from the public domain. You cannot obtain the records in such situations or when records have been expunged.

How to Access State Arrest Warrant Records

There are many websites that list state arrest warrant records. You may view some for free, while some other sites ask you to register yourself and forward a certain subscription amount before allowing access. But it is always a good idea to rely on an arrest database maintained by the government or a law enforcement agency. The Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) maintains a central repository of criminal justice information at their website http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cjisd/cjis.htm. Here you will find information on state arrest warrants.

This information can also be accessed by the subject of an identification record. You will need to forward a written request to CJIS to obtain copies of these state arrest records. Attach some identity proof like the name of the individual, the place and date of 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 send an authorized check or money order of USD18 along with the request. 

Knowing the scope of state arrest warrants and where to look for these records will help ensure that your rights are not violated and you can protect yourself from suspect individuals.
 

State-Specific Arrest Warrant Information:

Alabama Arrest Warrant

Arizona Arrest Warrants

California Arrest Warrant

Colorado Arrest Warrant

Florida Arrest Warrant

Georgia Arrest Warrant

Illinois Arrest Warrant

Indiana Arrest Warrant

Iowa Arrest Warrant

Michigan Arrest Warrant

Missouri Arrest Warrant

New York Arrest Warrant

North Carolina Arrest Warrant

Oklahoma Arrest Warrant

Ohio Arrest Warrant

Texas Arrest Warrant