How Do I Know if there is a Warrant Out for My Arrest?
I get this question a lot when people call my office. Can you check and tell me if there is a warrant out for my arrest? That’s a tough question to answer in most circumstances. Most Georgia sheriff’s offices will tell you that if you want to discuss warrant information that you must come in person. Some rural Georgia counties will tell you if a warrant is outstanding, but most metro Atlanta counties like Fulton, Cobb, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Clayton, and Douglas will not. The answer becomes even more difficult because there is no database I can search to look for outstanding arrest warrants based on name, date of birth, social security number or any personal information. Because there is no database where you or I can freely check for outstanding warrants, the best way to figure out if a warrant exists is to gather as much information as possible. The way to do that is to start asking yourself questions.
Why do I think a warrant is outstanding for my arrest? What happened? Was anyone else involved? What is their contact information?
Has someone told me a warrant is outstanding for my arrest? Who are they?
Have police come to my home when I was not there? What police department? Did they leave a card?
Have you been in communication with law enforcement about an active investigation?
Do you have the law enforcement officer’s name and contact information?
The more information you can provide regarding the possibility of an outstanding warrant, the easier it is for us to figure out together how to go about finding out if a warrant exists. There’s no guarantee that we can ever figure out with a certainty if a warrant exists prior to arrest, but what can be done is one of two things:
First, we can use the information gathered to start making phone calls. In a perfect world we will know the name of the law enforcement officer involved in the investigation. I can reach out to them directly on your behalf and ask them if a warrant exists, and discuss our options for clearing the warrant if one exists. If that doesn’t help, we can reach out to the Sheriff’s office in the country the warrant might exist and ask their warrants department. The Sheriff doesn’t usually offer that information, but it is a step in the process. Finally, we can reach out to the Magistrate Court clerk’s office and see if the warrant has been filed in their office. Arrest warrants are not usually filed until after the actual arrest, so it is highly unlikely the Clerk’s office will have a copy of the arrest warrant on file, but they may, and it is always good to ask. These are the general steps you can take to determine if a warrant exists without physically going to the Sheriff’s office.
Or, you can go to any Sheriff’s office and ask if there is a warrant out for your arrest. This option is tricky, because if there is a an arrest warrant active, you will likely be taken into custody at that time unable to aid in your defense at that point. If you 100% must know right now if there is a warrant outstanding for your arrest, it is best to let someone know you are going to the Sheriff’s office, that you might get taken into custody, and if you do get taken into custody, that you need help for bond and for a lawyer.
If there is a warrant outstanding for your arrest, you will get taken into custody if you are pulled over by the police. If it is not the same police department that has taken out the warrant, you may spend time in one jail with a hole on you from the arresting county before you are transferred to that county and go in front of a Judge. Depending on the seriousness of the offense, law enforcement officers may try and pick you up at your home or your employer. If you think there is a warrant for your arrest, you need to consult with an attorney. They can go over these steps with you and try to help you out.
