In additional to state courts, there are also federal district courts, which deal with violations of federal law. Federal courts can issue federal arrest warrants. However, federal courts do not offer public warrant databases. To find out about a federal warrant, you will have to call a court clerk and ask for more information.
Some searchable databases allow you to refine your search by nickname, date of birth, and other identifying characteristics. Some counties do not have publicly available warrant information. You may need to contact the sheriff’s department or court clerk directly. If you cannot locate warrant information on the sheriff’s department website, visit the website for your local court or police station. You can also use your search engine to search for, for example, “Placer County arrest warrant search. "
In sensitive cases, such as family, juvenile delinquency, and domestic violence matters, the clerk may not be able to give you specific information about the case, due to the privacy interests of the other parties. You should still be able to get any related warrant information.
When was the warrant issued? You may discover a warrant you did not know existed. Learning when it was issued can help you remember or figure out what incident in the past led to a warrant being issued for your arrest. Have fines accumulated? Warrants sometimes have fines associated with them, which can accumulate for as long as the fines go unpaid. Ask if there are any unpaid fines related to the warrant, and whether more fines are still accumulating. What are the charges? If the charges are serious, you should consider hiring an attorney to start preparing your defense. What is the bail amount? If you know the bail amount, you can decide how much money to bring with you when you turn yourself in, or arrange for your bail to be paid by someone else.
Ask friends and family for attorney referrals. You can also consult your state and local bar association websites for attorney referral services, or just search online. If you cannot afford to hire a private criminal defense attorney, contact your local public defender’s office about your warrant before turning yourself in.
If you are not eligible for bail, or if you cannot afford to post bail, you may be taken into custody until your arraignment. Avoid turning yourself in on a Friday or before a holiday, since it might then be necessary to hold you in jail over the weekend.
