How to Find Out if Someone Has a Warrant
If the cops are looking for you, you probably want to know. And if you have a warrant out for your arrest, it's even more important that you're aware of it.
Having a warrant out for you can cause a lot of problems for your life — it can be a deterrent if you need to find a job, rent an apartment, or even if you get pulled over while driving. Warrants can wreak havoc on your life, regardless of the reason why there may be one out on you.
Arrest warrants don't appear out of thin air. A judge issues an arrest warrant upon probable cause, and this authorizes the police to arrest you and present you before the court. That being said, it is possible to be unaware of a warrant, especially if it's from a long time ago and/or in a different state.
Sure, you could go into your local police station and simply inquire about a possible warrant under your name. However, you probably don't want to do that. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can find out if you've got an active warrant.
Let's go over how to check if there's a warrant for your arrest. Below are the top 5 sites to help you tell if you have a warrant.
Best Sites To Help You Tell If There is A warrant For Your Arrest:
- Instant Checkmate
- TruthFinder
- Intelius
- BeenVerified
- PeopleFinders
What is a warrant?
Before we jump into this article, it's important to understand exactly what a warrant is, how it's obtained, and what it means.
A warrant or arrest warrant is a court order that directs police officers and other officials to arrest a certain individual. An officer must convince a judge that reasonable suspicion (or probable cause) exists and that a crime was committed to obtain an arrest warrant.
Arrest warrants serve the purpose of protecting people from unlawful arrests under the Fourth Amendment. Warrants usually include the crime the suspect is charged with, and the arrest may come with restrictions. For instance, an office may only be able to arrest a suspect within certain hours.
A warrant might also give authorities the right to search and seize your property. In addition to having an arrest warrant, police must have a reason that the suspect lives at the home and will be present at the time of their entry.
Of course, an officer can enter a residence without a warrant to arrest someone in an emergency.
Different Types of Warrants
There are two main types of warrants:
Arrest Warrants
An arrest warrant must show probable cause that a specific crime was committed, and it's issued by the judge or magistrate. If there is evidence presented in court or after a grand court indictment, a warrant is issued.
An arrest warrant allows for a police officer to carry out the arrest and detainment of the suspect listed on the warrant. A valid warrant for arrest must contain info such as the person's name, the crime, the name of the court, and the judge's signature.
Bench Warrants
A bench warrant is not based on a suspected particular crime. This type of warrant may be issued if a person has a missed court date, fails to pay a fine or ticket, or doesn't follow any order given by the court. Just like an arrest warrant, a bench warrant authorizes a police officer to arrest and detain the suspect.
If you're wondering how to find out if you have a warrant for your arrest, several tools can help. Here are 5 of the top sites around to tell if you have a warrant:
1. Instant Checkmate
Pros
- Detailed background check reports
- Easy to use and find info
- It's a good value for the money
- Unlimited reports with a subscription
- Great criminal records search
- Mobile apps for iOS and Android
Cons
- There are no free searches
- Not a traditional background check
- Prices are expensive
- The pricing information is rather unclear
Instant Checkmate does what it claims to do — reveals information about you and others, including any warrants for your arrest.
You can use Instant Checkmate to check for warrants under your name. You can search for arrest warrants, bench warrants, and more.
Warrant checks on Instant Checkmate include name, city, state, and the type of warrant, either a felony or misdemeanor. Other information consists of the crime committed, jurisdiction, bond amount, as well as any prior convictions.
How does Instant Checkmate work?
You simply type in your name, age, and location in the search bar. You can also add more info to narrow down your results. To look up yourself, simply type in your name.
Warrants and arrest records can be found publicly through various public record sources. Instant Checkmate is ideal to search to see if you or someone else has a warrant for their arrest.
Once you have a match, you purchase a membership subscription to access the report. A subscription gives you access to unlimited reports for as long as you are enrolled.
Instant Checkmate Cost
Instant Checkmate has two subscription plans: one-month plans will cost $34.78 per month. 3-month subscriptions will run $27.82 per month for 90 days.
You can also try the website for free — Instant Checkmate offers a five-day free trial. The trial option shows up on the checkout page after several minutes.
2. TruthFinder
Pros
- You can see basic information for free
- Site is user-friendly
- You only need a name and no location
- Search results are pretty good
- You get unlimited reports with membership
Cons
- Prices aren't the cheapest
- You need to pay to see detailed results
- There's no trial period
- The cancellation process is lengthy
TruthFinder is a background check site that does a good job of locating people. The service began online in 2015 and has a pretty good reputation of providing people with an easy way to look up criminal records online.
What makes TruthFinder different?
TruthFinder aggregates public records from 50 states. If you have a warrant for your arrest in two states, you can find them both in one place.
TruthFinder is now one of America's most trusted background search brands. This service provides instant results for the individual you search, and then it compiles those results into one easy-to-read background report. TruthFinder helps you avoid the confusion of consulting every county and state database to find the records you're looking for.
TruthFinder Cost
While TruthFinder does offer free searches, you need to pay to get the deep-rooted info you're searching for. Keep in mind that there is no TruthFinder trial period offered. If you decide to pay to see detailed results, know that the cancellation process tends to be rather lengthy.
A standard membership offers unlimited reports, and you can choose to buy a membership for either one or two months.
3. Intelius
Pros
- Delivers accurate, detailed, up-to-date background reports
- The interface is easy to use and attractive
- Great user support team
- The website has an attractive layout
Cons
- There are no free background checks
- The trial offer is misleading
- Mixed reviews on information accuracy
Performing an online Background Check with Intelius on yourself helps to make sure you don't have any warrants for your arrests. Intelius is known for its accurate information and comprehensive reports. Intelius is also BBB-accredited, so you can trust their services.
Intelius Cost
You can get a Premier Plus Membership for $29.95 a month, which allows unlimited searches and one background search per month. You can also get a trial period for $1.99, which is pretty affordable.
Intelius Auto-Renewals
One thing to keep in mind is that Intelius subscriptions involve auto-renewals. Some users sign up and don't realize that their credit card is going to be automatically renewed.
4. BeenVerified
Pros
- You don't have to pay per search
- Excellent customer service
- Detailed, comprehensive reports
- The mobile app is convenient
Cons
- They don't offer a free trial
- Search results are not 100% accurate
- Search results can take quite long
Founded in 2007, BeenVerified offers a variety of affordable ways to access public record information, particularly background checks. Find out if you have a warrant quickly and easily, as the core of BeenVerified background checks are public records searches
BeenVerified's monthly subscription cost is frequently lower than what many competitors charge for a single background report. You aren't limited to a single search or required to pay per search.
BeenVerified Cost
BeenVerified offers a monthly membership for $26.89 per month. They also offer a 3-month subscription for $17.48 a month.
5. Peoplefinders
Pros
- You don't need a membership to search
- Affordable three-day trial
- Detailed reports
- Trustworthy service for decades
Cons
- There's a monthly limit on searches
- Lots of affiliate ads for the same services as the site
- Cancellation can be a hassle
PeopleFinders has been in business for decades, so their service is trustworthy. They use a vast database for comprehensive search results. Perhaps one of the best things about PeopleFinders is that you don't need to sign up for a membership to use the service.
You can find out if you have an arrest warrant by doing a public records search on PeopleFinders.
PeopleFinders Costs
A 3-day trial membership on PeopleFinders only costs 95 cents, while a 3-day premium trial membership costs $3.95. You can also choose a monthly premium membership for $29.95 a month.
Final Advice on Warrant Searches
When you have a hunch there's an arrest warrant on you, it can be a pain to deal with. The first thing you need to do is to find out if you indeed have a warrant and from which state.
You can always search the court records directly through the particular state. However, this only works if your state has a public court record system — and not every state has one.
You can use these services to see your own public records. Keep in mind, this is not a replacement for professional legal advice, but it's a good tool to have.
If you confirm that you indeed have a warrant for your arrest, make sure to find professional legal advice so that you can take the best step going forward.
How to Find Out if Someone Has a Warrant
Source: https://www.juneauempire.com/marketplace/warrant-out-for-your-arrest-top-5-sites-to-help-you-tell-if-you-have-a-warrant/