Americans have a long and expansive history of doing warrant searches in all states. Whether they’re doing a New York warrant search to find any outstanding warrants on their fellow New Yorkers or a Massachusetts warrant search for similar reasons. At the end of the day, the hardest part of doing these searches is knowing how to go about them.
A lot of people also wonder one other pretty big thing, who needs to do a warrant search? That can be a very troubling question, especially if you’ve found yourself in a situation that would typically call for a warrant search.
So, how do people know when they should be doing a warrant search? Who even has the ability to do a warrant search, whether it’s in New York or otherwise? These are great questions and, more than likely, if you’re reading this article you’ve been asking them of yourself.
In today’s article, we’re going to be exploring the answers to these questions so you can have a better understanding of this kind of information, when to look for it, and how to find it when you need to.
A lot of people don’t fully understand how to navigate the internet in such a way that they can get this kind of information, and even fewer people understand when they should be looking into someone’s warrant information. Hopefully, this article illuminates those things for you so you can be well on your way to conducting your own warrant searches.
When and Why to do a Warrant Search
In reporting, there are typically considered to be the all-important 5 W’s and 1 H. Who, where, why, when, what, and how. We already know who the who is and what the what is. The where is online. In this section, we’ll be taking a look at the when and why, and by the end of this article, we’ll have covered the how.
So, when and why should you do a warrant search? The when is pretty easy, you should do a warrant search whenever it feels necessary. But that just brings us to the why, so let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons why people do these kinds of searches:
- Vetting potential dates.
- It’s hard to really know who someone is. We all have secrets. Some secrets are harmless, and some secrets are a lot more harmful. Doing a warrant search can help keep you safe.
- Keeping an eye on your loved ones.
- It’s easier to fall in with a bad crowd than most people realize. Knowing if your loved ones have outstanding warrants can help you sleep a little better at night.
- Make sure your neighbor is safe.
- Neighbors are kind of like families. You don’t get to choose them, but you do have to live in close proximity to them. How well do you know your neighbor?
- Learn more about your coworkers.
- Much like neighbors, co-workers are people that you have to be in close proximity to with little to no choice on your part. What are they hiding?
There are a lot of other cases where it would be appropriate to do a warrant search. The most important thing is that you do warrant searches whenever you feel like a need has arisen for one.
If you feel like you want to check to be sure, that’s a good enough reason. Your safety is important, and doing warrant searches can help you steer clear of particularly dangerous people, Whether that comes in the form of staying home from a date or just avoiding your neighbor.
What is a Warrant?
Since we’ve covered the “why” and “when” in some length, it’s only fair that we cover the “what” with a bit more detail, as well. This will ensure that there are no misunderstandings by the end of this article, which is good for everyone here.
The Constitution of the United States of America guarantees us certain rights. Most people are aware of the right to free speech, the first amendment, or the right to refuse quartering soldiers, the third amendment. Not everyone is as familiar with the 4th amendment.
The fourth amendment protects United States citizens from unreasonable searches or seizures of their person or property. Now, people on parole or probation can be exempt from these protections, but everyone else enjoys a great deal of protection from unjust searches and seizures by law enforcement entities under this amendment.
Under this amendment, unless there are very specific conditions met, a law enforcement officer needs a warrant in order to search you or your property and either arrest you or seize your property. Just to be clear, an arrest is considered to be a seizure of your person in legal terms.
Well, a warrant is a legal order to search or seize someone or their property. Warrants have to be authorized by a judge or magistrate, and in some states mayors also have limited power to authorize warrants, depending on the exact nature of the situation. Mayoral warrants are not as powerful as normal warrants.
What kind of information has to appear on a warrant, you might be asking. Great question, we’re glad you asked. There is a good deal of information that has to appear on a warrant, here’s what the judge or magistrate has to be sure appears on a warrant for it to be valid:
- The name of the suspect.
- A reasonable description of the suspect.
- If the name isn’t available, the description can be used in its place.
- Crimes that are believed to have been committed by the suspect.
- In most cases, the crimes were committed, whether the suspect is the guilty party or not.
- County where the crimes were committed.
- Counties where the warrant is executable.
- Date of issuance.
- Signature of a judge or magistrate.
- The name of the office that the issuing judge or magistrate works out of.
In cases where a mayoral warrant is used, you would just replace every instance of the words “judge or magistrate” with the word “mayor” and the rest of the process remains the same. Mayors generally can only issue warrants for specific counties and don’t have the power to issue a state-wide warrant for arrest, search, or seizure.
Warrants can be executed at any time. It doesn’t matter if it’s 12:00 PM on a Tuesday, 2:30 AM on Christmas Day, or any other day or time that you could think of. If you have a warrant and end up talking to the police, they can take you in.
Someone with a warrant, however, does have the option to turn themself in. That can save them a lot of trouble and is actually most of the reason why law enforcement provides any warrant information to the public in the first place. All you have to do to turn yourself in is show up at the police state and tell them that you’d like to turn yourself in.
How to Find Warrant Infromation.
At this point in the article, we have a solid grasp on the 5 w’s. Now, let’s take a look at the H so you can understand how to find warrant information if you find yourself in need of this information. It’s actually pretty easy.
The first and most obvious approach you could take is using police resources. This could manifest in visiting the sheriff’s department’s website or giving them a call. Either way, keep in mind that not every county makes this information available.
You can find the information that you’re looking for pretty easily this way with a bit of luck. If the county you’re looking in does have that kind of information available, all you’ll really need is the first and last name of the person in question.
If the county you’re looking in isn’t so generous with that information, even if you call, you might not be able to get the information from them. You can’t get water from a rock, after all. That’s ok though, there’s something else you can try.
Warrant search services and personal background check services provide a wellspring of information from all over the country in a matter of seconds. All you need is the first name, last name, and current state of the person in question and you can get warrant information from all over the country.
Knowing When to Find Warrants is Important
As an American, there are a lot of things that you’re able to do. Finding warrants is one of those, especially considering warrant information falls under public records. Because of this, it’s your right to get warrant information quickly and easily.
There’s no federal law requiring law enforcement to provide this information, but fortunately, you can still find it if you know what you’re doing and where to look. Ensuring your safety is important, and knowing that the people around you don’t pose a threat to your well-being can help a lot with your peace of mind.