Arkansas Warrant Search

Arkansas Warrant Search
What is an Arkansas Warrant Search?
How To Conduct a Warrant Search in Arkansas
Are Arkansas Warrant Records Publicly Accessible?
How Are Warrants Issued in Arkansas?
Common Types of Warrants in Arkansas
How Long Are Warrants Valid in Arkansas?
How To Find Out If You Have a Warrant in Arkansas
FAQ

Conducting a warrant search in Arkansas entails looking through state and federal databases that carry warrant records to see if there are any pending warrants against a specific person. A warrant search may yield the following details: the subject's name, date of birth, offense, charge, bond information, and court information. You may perform a warrant search when you need to carry out due diligence or any personal search.

What is an Arkansas Warrant Search?

Warrant searches are carried out to find warrants that have been issued and/or executed in Arkansas. A warrant search in Arkansas may be conducted in person or online. As court-issued documents (issued by judges or magistrates), warrants provide law enforcement the power to carry out specific actions like performing a search, confiscating property, or making an arrest. Among the various types of warrants are those for arrest, search, and retrieval of an individual from a different state. Warrants are necessary in Arkansas because they are used to bring about justice and investigate crimes.

According to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the public has the right to view various government data, including warrants. However, the availability of some warrant information is restricted. In particular, anything about an ongoing investigation or information whose release might endanger the safety of those concerned is not available to the general public.

How To Conduct a Warrant Search in Arkansas

Anyone interested in statewide warrant records in Arkansas can usually search for active warrants by name on the Arkansas Crime Information Center portal. The agency provides criminal history search services online. This service costs $22 per search and offers information on warrants issued by Arkansas state courts or agencies.

County Sheriff's Offices and Local Police Departments

In Arkansas, you can check the status of a warrant by contacting the sheriff's office or local police department in the county where the warrant was issued. Some law enforcement agencies provide a wanted list on their official websites. Among these agencies are:

Are Arkansas Warrant Records Publicly Accessible?

According to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), warrants are regarded as public records in the state. Interested individuals may find warrant records in the statewide database maintained by the Arkansas Crime Information Center. They may also find such records from local sheriff's offices and law enforcement agencies in the jurisdiction where they were issued.

Unless there is a clear exemption, the public has the right to access warrant records. However, records containing information about juveniles, an ongoing investigation, or whose revelation might endanger the safety of the people concerned are not available to the general public.

How Are Warrants Issued in Arkansas?

Arkansas law enforcement must persuade a judge or magistrate that there is evidence of a crime that needs to be further investigated to get a warrant. Law enforcement officials begin the procedure by presenting their case to the court, which then considers the information to determine whether there is enough probable cause.

To strengthen their case for a warrant request, law enforcement provides a thorough written declaration (affidavit) or testimony given under oath (sworn testimony) in addition to probable cause. If the judge is satisfied, they issue a warrant that specifies the actions to be taken.

Probable Cause Determination

Probable cause refers to reasonable grounds that make law enforcement think an individual might be committing a crime law enforcement has and prompts them to want to investigate the individual further. Law enforcement must first prove probable cause before a court will issue a warrant. Witness statements, tangible evidence found during an inquiry, or other trustworthy information can all serve as the foundation for probable cause. The peace officer obtaining the warrant must present an affidavit detailing the facts and circumstances that have caused them to believe there is probable cause.

Issuance by a Judge or Magistrate

The next phase after proving probable cause is to get the warrant issued. An authorized court must hear the law enforcement official's application, which must include all supporting paperwork in addition to probable cause. If the application is satisfactory, the judge will sign the warrant permitting the requested action.

Entry into Law Enforcement Databases

A warrant is typically added to several law enforcement databases after it is issued in Arkansas. The Arkansas Crime Information Center adds warrants to its database and is available to anyone for a fee. Many sheriff departments in the state also include warrants in the local databases.

Common Types of Warrants in Arkansas

Judges in Arkansas issue a range of warrants, each with a distinct purpose. The following are the most common types of warrants issued in the state:

Arrest Warrant: This is a formal court order that instructs a peace officer to arrest a person they believe is guilty of a crime.
Bench Warrant: The judge issues this type of warrant when a defendant fails to appear for a scheduled court date.
Search Warrant: This is a court-approved order that permits a peace officer to search a place, an item, or a person to find evidence of crime or illegal items.
Body Attachments Warrant: This is a type of arrest warrant, issued by a court that orders an individual to be arrested and brought before the judge

Arrest Warrants in Arkansas

An Arkansas arrest warrant is issued when there is probable cause that someone has broken the law or a court order. The arrest warrant application needs to be supported by an affidavit or sworn testimony that offers enough information to support the warrant. It must include the name of the individual to be arrested, the offense charged, and the amount of bail, if any. Unless it is a misdemeanor warrant that has a specific time or location for execution, an Arkansas arrest warrant can be carried out at any time. It is resolved by making an appearance in court, posting bail, or making an arrest.

Bench Warrants

When someone does not show up for court as required by a summons, subpoena, or court order, a judge may issue a bench warrant. The name comes from the fact that it is usually issued from the bench. An Arkansas bench warrant may also be issued when someone disregards the terms of probation, parole, or a suspended sentence. It orders law enforcement to arrest the defaulting individual and present them before the court.

Search Warrants

When a judge or magistrate determines that there is probable cause that a crime has been committed and evidence of such crime may be found in a certain location, they issue search warrants. Probable cause must be provided by the peace officer making the search warrant application. The warrant gives law enforcement permission to explore the area and seize any evidence they find. The precise location for the search, as well as the particular objects that the police are looking for, must be specified in the Arkansas search warrant.

Capias Warrants

Judges may issue a capias warrant when someone is found guilty by the court, fails to pay a fine, or fails to fulfill certain obligations within the allotted time. This warrant empowers law enforcement to arrest someone until they can appear in court. The only ways to resolve this warrant are to pay the fine owed or to serve the necessary time. Capias warrants can be classified as either civil or pro fine. A capias pro fine is linked to criminal prosecutions, and a civil capias is used in civil processes.

How Long Are Warrants Valid in Arkansas?

Arrest, bench, and body attachment warrants in Arkansas are valid until the subject is taken into custody, shows up for court, or passes away. But in some circumstances, the issuing court has the authority to recall or quash such warrants. Judges also have the authority to declare a body attachment warrant permanent, especially in certain civil instances.

An Arkansas search warrant, on the other hand, is only valid for 60 days. Nevertheless, it may be renewed if there is still probable cause. The warrant is void if it is not served within a reasonable amount of time or if the location to be searched changes.

How To Find Out If You Have a Warrant in Arkansas

You may use the online search function on the Arkansas Crime Information Center's website to see whether you have an active warrant in Arkansas. You may also search statewide warrant records using this site. For information on county-specific warrant searches, you can also visit the webpages of your local law enforcement agencies.

As an alternative, you may perform a warrant search by going to the sheriff's office, the local police department, or the court clerk's office of the court that issued the warrant. However, you might have to pay for the service and prove your identity. You may also inquire by phone.

FAQ

Can Police Search Your Car Without a Warrant in Arkansas?

In Arkansas, the following circumstances generally allow police to search your car without a warrant:

Probable Cause: The police may search your car if they have probable cause to believe a crime has been committed. For example, they might search your car without a warrant if they smell narcotics or alcohol. They might check the trunk, back seat, driver's seat, storage, and other containers that might be hiding illegal goods or proof of criminal activity.
Consent: If you give police permission to search your car, they may do so. It is important to verbally refuse, as even a shrug may be considered consent. Note that saying "yes: means you have given up your Fourth Amendment rights to not be searched. Also, refusing a search cannot be seen as probable cause.
Plain View: A police officer may search your car without a warrant if they believe you have committed a crime based on what they see, hear, or smell.
Search Incident to Arrest: The police may search your vehicle if you are arrested while driving.
Inventory Searches After a Tow: If your car is towed, police may conduct an inventory search to document your belongings. They have the right to use whatever damaging material they find against you.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Search Warrant in Arkansas?

In Arkansas, a police officer can obtain a search warrant in around one to two hours if they have adequate probable cause to support their request. It may take longer, though, in more complex circumstances. The officer must draft a "duplicate original warrant" and read it to the judge exactly as it is written to get the warrant. Based on the officer's testimony, the judge will then choose whether to approve the warrant. Unless otherwise noted, the police have 60 days from the time they obtain the warrant to use it.

What Happens After a Search Warrant Is Executed?

An Arkansas warrant must be carried out by law enforcement. It is uncommon for warrants to be executed at night. According to federal law, it should take place between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Before entering a location to search, an officer must knock, declare their authority and purpose, and wait a reasonable amount of time or be turned away before using force. Knock and announce is part of the reasonableness requirement of the Fourth Amendment and is very important to ensuring the search does not abuse the rights of the individual being searched. However, a waiting period of a few seconds or no waiting time may be necessary if the officer has a legitimate concern or suspicion that the investigation will be impeded or that evidence will be destroyed.

Except for nuisance contraband, all evidence and contraband must be gathered by trained personnel and recorded on Form 1, Evidence or Confiscated Property/Contraband. A copy of the form should be given to the owner or custodian of state property if they can be easily identified. Following the completion of all legal actions and the disciplinary committee hearing at residential facilities, evidence and contraband, such as firearms, will be disposed of.

Individuals whose properties have been searched illegally or whose right to privacy has been violated in the course of a search in Arkansas may file a motion to suppress the evidence obtained during the unlawful search.