What You Need to Know about Arrest Warrants

The Fundamentals of Arrest Warrants

What are arrest warrants?

When the law requires that you need to be put in detention, law enforcement agencies can do so by issuing arrest warrants. Only with an arrest warrant is the arrest of an individual legitimate. However, when found in the act of crime, the police might arrest the offender without the warrant. The police are given the warrant by a judge in a court of law on behalf of the state.

Warrant contains the name of the person to be detained, the crime of which this particular individual has been charged and the name of the court of law that has issued the arrest order.

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The Freedom of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act is a law that allows you to access documents and information from the federal government, especially if you want to check whether a person has a criminal history in the United States. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the law on July 4, 1966.

What is the FOIA?

The FOIA law is often described as the law that allows U.S citizens to keep up with what their government is doing. Any federal agency must disclose any information requested unless it falls under certain exemptions. According to FOIA.gov, there are nine exemptions, and they include:

Exemption 1: Information that is classified to protect national security.
Exemption 2: Information related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency.
Exemption 3: Information that is prohibited from disclosure by another federal law.
Exemption 4: Trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is confidential or privileged.
Exemption 5: Privileged communications within or between agencies, including:
Deliberative Process Privilege
Attorney-Work Product Privilege
Attorney-Client Privilege
Exemption 6: Information that, if disclosed, would invade another individual’s personal privacy.
Exemption 7: Information compiled for law enforcement purposes that:
7(A). Could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings
7(B). Would deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication
7(C). Could reasonably be expected to constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy
7(D). Could reasonably be expected to disclose the identity of a confidential source
7(E). Would disclose techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions
7(F). Could reasonably be expected to endanger the life or physical safety of any individual
Exemption 8: Information that concerns the supervision of financial institutions.
Exemption 9: Geological information on wells.

How FOIA helps the public

The FOIA makes it easier for the public to access records about their government. A lot of information is already publicly available on different agencies on their websites or the FOIA website, but if the information you want isn’t available, you can submit an FOIA request.

Most federal agencies accept requests electronically, but you can also submit a written request and submit it to the agency’s FOIA Office. A request can be made for any agency and you can choose the format that the report is delivered. With this resource, anyone can investigate the government.

In addition, thanks to FOIA, there are numerous private websites – such as this one– that provide efficient and reliable background check tools. These tools allow anyone to check quite easily whether a person has a criminal history.

Background Check in North Carolina

How to do a Background Check in North Carolina

fingerprints North Carolina is considered a record state. What does it mean? The answer is that everyone without too much difficulty can track a person’s criminal history while enjoying full and almost unlimited access governmental databases on the Internet and outside the Internet. So how can you do a Background Check in North Carolina?

Using your County’s resources

When checking a person’s criminal history, the best you can do is adopting a ‘bottom-up’ approach; that is, starting with what the county has to offer before resorting to data banks managed by the state.

Sheriffs usually store data on all arrests made under their jurisdiction (In most cases, the sheriff is also the one who runs the local detention facility) in addition to warrants issued by the court. Hence, we suggest utilizing their resources.

Let’s take the largest county in North Carolina as an example. You will be surprised to learn how many resources for tracking a person’s criminal record in Mecklenburg County the local sheriff offers users.

On his website you can find an inmate search tool that shows people arrested in the county. This tool shows active and inactive detainees. You can also define the prisoner type you want your inquiry to include. The sheriff also has a simpler arrest inquiry tool showing people apprehended in the last 24 hours only.

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What are Arrest Warrants and How You Can Search for Them

Are you interested in checking whether a person is wanted by the police? Your best alternative for a warrant search is the county sheriff. Some sheriffs have an electronic search tool on their official website. For instance, if you want to inquire about warrants issued in Will County, Illinois, all you need to do is navigate to the sheriff’s online database (which you can find here) and initiate an inquiry based on a name or city.

If there is no such online search option, go to the sheriff office in person and ask them to go over their archives. It’s less convenient and it will take more time, but it will be worthwhile if you get the information that you seek.

In addition, some states operate public databases that present fugitive people and the warrants issued against them. A good example for such a database is the Public Access System of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

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background check in California

How to do a background check in California

A Background check in California is most often done during an employment process. In California, there are many rules and regulations that go along with checking a person’s criminal history. The regulations depend on the resources used to obtain the background check.

Third Party Background Checks

If using a third-party company that specializes in background checks, including criminal or credit, the FCRA requires a few steps beforehand. You must let the applicant know that the information found could affect future employment. It must be in writing, cannot be on an application, and must be clear in intent. If the report also includes lifestyle and character reports, the applicant must be told. They have a right to the information gathered. Once you’ve taken these steps, you must prove that you have done so to the company doing the background check.

In-House Background Checks

California has built on the FCRA and created the (CIPA). If the potential employer does the investigation themselves, they are required to give you the option to receive their findings. The employer must send you the report within three days of receiving it. If there are inaccuracies on the report, correct them and inform the potential employer. If they don’t comply with the FCRA and CIPA, talk to an attorney.

Completion of Background Check

If the employer decides not to hire you based on what they’ve discovered on a background check, they have to take a few steps. They must give you a copy of all of their findings (if they used an outside company) and give you the option to review it. The employer must tell you the exact reason why they were rejected, and then you have the right to dispute it.

One of the exceptions of this rule is if the company conducts an investigation because they believe you’ve engaged in misconduct or illegal activity. If so, CIPA waives your right to consent to the background check.

Recommended Reading:

How to request a copy of your criminal records – The State of California Department of Justice

California inmate search – the CDCR official page

FL Arrest Records

Utilizing the FDLE to Find FL Arrest Records and Outstanding Warrants

If you find yourself needing to examine a person’s criminal history in Florida, you’re in luck. The FDLA’s website has many resources to help you find FL arrest records and outstanding warrants.

Initiating a warrant search

If you’re looking for Florida warrants, you’ll first need to go to the website run by the FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) . On the website, you’ll see the option to access the Public Access system. From there, you’ll click the “Wanted Person” tab on the list of options (which appears on the left bar).

To start your search, just click the subject’s name and you will get an online report with plenty of details, such as a mugshot (in some of the files), the fugitive’s personal details, warrant # and date, description of offenses and reporting agency.

Using the sheriff office

To confirm outstanding warrants for sure, you will have to speak with the local sheriff’s office or official reporting agency. It will need to be the county office where the warrant was issued. Some will confirm over the phone or through email, others will require you to come in person.

Inquiring about Florida arrest records

To search for arrest records in Florida, you can also use the FDLE’s website. You will need to visit the Criminal History Information section of the website. This service will be $24.00 per person.

Receiving a certified copy

As far as the arrest records go, the FDLE online database does not give certified copies. To receive a certified copy, you will have to mail the request to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in Tallahassee. You’ll have to send the $24.00 check or money order for the service with your written request. It usually takes about five business days to complete the request, not counting delivery times.

Further resources:

The Florida Sheriff Association will provide you contact details of all of the sheriff offices in the state.

Neighborhood Scout provides information on crime rate in Florida.

flarrestscheck.org – Inquiring about a person’s prior criminal activity in the State of Florida

Arrest Records and Criminal Records

What is the difference between arrest records and criminal records? Will arrest records affect your career? The following article will answer these questions.

What are Arrest Records?

Being arrested is defined as being temporarily held in police custody. Being arrested doesn’t even mean you will be charged with a crime. After taken into police custody, the prosecutor will determine whether you will be charged or not.

After being arrested, a few things can happen. The prosecutor may determine that there was no crime committed and release you. The prosecutor could charge you, but those charges can be dropped or dismissed later. The prosecutor can also charge you and take your case to trial, where you may be found not guilty. The important thing to remember about an arrest record is that it does not indicate a conviction.

What are Criminal Records?

Criminal records are different. If you have a criminal record, you have been convicted of a crime. After the arrest, the prosecutor charged you with a crime, and a few different things could have happened. You could have plea bargained, which is agreeing to plead guilty of a crime in exchange for a lesser sentence. You could have been charged with a crime and found guilty by a jury. Either way, a criminal record equals a conviction.

The implications of an arrest record – will it affect your chances of finding a good job?

Having an arrest record is usually not a big deal. It will usually show up on a background check, but on as an arrest and non-conviction. Most employers don’t care about arrest records. It’s illegal in some states to even ask about past arrest that didn’t lead to convictions.

A conviction will show up on a background check as an arrest and conviction. Usually details will be provided about the case and conviction as well. Having an arrest record is usually not a big deal, but having a conviction on your background check can damage future employment opportunities.

Recommended reading:

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – Will your criminal history affect your future employment prospects?

Office of Justice Program – Criminal records and employment

Arrest Records and Background Checks in Fulton County

How to Perform an Arrest and Background Checks in Fulton County, Georgia

There are a few ways to go about getting arrest records and background checks in Fulton County, GA. Depending on where you’re located and your resources will determine the best option for you.

The County Sheriff Department

The sheriff is the primary source to inquire about a person’s criminal history in Fulton County. To start your inquiry, you will need a check or money order made out to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department. The cost is $15.00. The easiest way to do it is by physically going into the office and filling out the paperwork. The background check will cover convictions and arrests.

Atlanta Police Department

Another option is the Atlanta Police Department. They are available Monday-Friday from 9:00am-4:00pm. You must have a $10.00 money order or cashiers check made out to the “City of Atlanta” for each request. You’ll need a legal form of identification to request the background check. If the background check is for another person, you will need notarized consent and the person’s notarized consent.

Georgia Felon Search

If you suspect the person that you’re running the check on is a felon, you can visit GTA.Georgia.Gov. On said site, there is an online search engine called Georgia Felon Search. For $15.00, you can search by name, DOB, address, etc and receive instant results.

Third Party Websites

There are many third-party websites that will assist you in carrying out arrest records and background checks in Georgia. Most of them provide county records, criminal records, and court records. They employ court-runners to retrieve the information and send the results. This web page especially focuses on Fulton County while offering users an advanced search option.

These are your best options for obtaining background checks and arrest records. As mentioned above, the best choice would be to visit Fulton County’s sheriff option and go through there. It will provide the most accurate and detailed report. Just remember, if you are conducting a search on another person, make sure you have their written consent.