Thank you for stopping by. We aim to give you the best help for your Pennsylvania County Warrant Search. Our page has key facts to guide you.
If you need to start your Pennsylvania County Warrant Search right now, please visit https://pennsylvaniawarrantrecords.com/county-warrant-search/. This site can help you look for warrant data. It is a good place to start a quick check. Use it to find the facts you seek with ease.
What is a Warrant? A warrant is a legal writ. A judge or magistrate issues it. It lets law enforcement do an act. This act would else be not legal. It could be an arrest or a search. The warrant protects the officer. This is true if the act is done right.
Many types of warrants exist in PA. Each has a set use.
Arrest Warrants
An arrest warrant comes from a judge. It is based on good cause. This means facts show a crime was done. The person named is thought to have done it. These are for more grave crimes. This means felons or some bad acts. Cops can go to homes or work to arrest. They need good cause to think you are there. Not dealing with it can make bail hard. It may add to the charges. Pennsylvania law guides how these are given. For instance, Pa. Rule Of Criminal Procedure 103 defines who can issue them. This includes a judge or a person with such power.
Bench Warrants
A judge issues a bench warrant. This is often for not showing up in court. Or, it can be for not obeying a court rule. If you get a bench warrant notice, act fast. You may be able to fix it. This avoids more bad steps. If not, cops can arrest you on sight. The warrant info goes into state and some U.S. cop data banks. Common reasons are:
Missed court dates.
Not paid fines.
Broke a court order. These can be for crime or civil court cases. The warrant allows cops to arrest you. They can hold you till your court date.
Cumberland County has a Bench Warrant Division.
Main Phone: 717-240-7322
Bench Warrant Contact: 717-240-6396 They may first mail you a note. You should call the office in the note. You might fix it and stop the warrant.
Search Warrants
Search warrants let cops search a place. They look for proof of a crime. Pa. Rule Of Criminal Procedure 201 guides this. Cops can take items used in a crime. They can take stolen goods. Or things that show a crime took place. A search warrant must list:
The date and time it was made.
What goods are to be taken.
The place or man to be searched.
When the search should be (not more than two days from issue).
Which judge gets the warrant back.
Proof that the judge found good cause. This is based on a sworn note. The search must be in day hours. This means 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Night searches need more cause. This is per Pa.R.Crim.P. 205. Cops must knock and say who they are. They must state their aim. There are some times they do not have to.
Other Warrant Types
Capias Warrant: Issued if you have a guilty plea or judgment. Then you do not pay a fine. Or you do not do what the court said in the set time. You must pay the fine. Or you must stay in jail till time served.
Fugitive Warrant: Sent from a new state. This is if they think the man is in the local area.
Governor's Warrant: From the Governor's desk. It lets a man who did a crime in a new state be sent back.
To look for a warrant, you need some facts. This will help your search.
To do a good search, try to have:
The full name of the person.
Their date of birth.
The last known town or land they lived in.
Any case number, if you have one. The more facts you have, the best your search.
Unified Judicial System (UJS) of Pennsylvania Web Portal
The main way to check is the UJS Web Portal. It is run by the PA Courts. You can find court case data here for free. This includes lists of cases.
Look for "Public Web Docket Sheets."
You can search by name or case code.
The site shows case state, court dates, and may list warrants. There is also a free app called PAeDocket. It helps you search court cases on your phone. Some parts of the UJS site need a log in. These parts may show state wide warrants. But, this is not for all to use. A town clerk of court must say yes.
County-Specific Online Warrant Databases
Some PA towns have their own web sites. These sites may list active warrants. For instance, Montgomery County has an Active Warrants page. Snyder County also has a warrant list site. Not all towns do this. Each town can be new. What they show and how you search can change. Due to fears of wrong use of ID, some towns do not show all facts online.
The Snyder County Sheriff's Office may list some data.
Warrant Portal: https://sheriff.snydercounty.org/sheriff.warrantportal/ (This is a list)
Phone: (570) 837-3311
Email: warrants@snydercounty.org (for general questions)
Address: 9 West Market Street, PO Box 217, Middleburg, PA 17842
Hours: Mon - Fri: 8 am - 4 pm
You can also call or go to local law posts.
County Sheriff's Offices
The town sheriff's men serve warrants. They try to find and catch men with warrants. Some sheriff's sites let you ask. It may be by phone, in man, or by mail. The Snyder County Sheriff's Office does this. They take calls and e-mails. They warn that to keep safe, they may not post all names on their web page. If you think you or a man you know is sought, call them.
Local Police Departments
You can call your local cops. Or go to the post. But be wise. If there is a warrant for you, you may be held. It is best to talk to a law man first.
Clerk of Courts Offices
The Clerk of Courts keeps court files. You can ask to see them. Some towns may charge a fee for copies. For instance, Adams County has fees for file looks.
1986 - Now: $12.50 per name.
1800 - 1985: $25.50 per hour per name. You may need to fill out a form. Send it with the fee and a self sent stamped case.
The PSP has a way to ask for files. This is on their web page: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/psp/programs/records-request.html. This is for things like crime past checks or crash logs. It may not be for a live look for one man's warrant by name. You would use their PATCH (Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History) plan for crime past checks. The PSP does not do "background checks" but gives crime past data.
When you search, some facts may show.
Name of the man.
The court or judge who gave it.
The cause for the warrant (crime, did not show).
Date it was made.
Bail sum, if there is one.
Not all warrant data is for all to see.
Sealed Warrants/Records: A judge can seal the notes that show good cause for a search warrant. This is under Pa.R.Crim.P. 211. It keeps the facts hid till a set court date.
Juvenile Warrants: Files for young folk are most times kept shut.
Privacy Concerns: To stop wrong use of IDs, towns may not show all facts. This is why not all lists are on the web.
If you find a warrant in your name, act. Do not wait.
A warrant does not go way if you ignore it. Cops can arrest you at any time. This can be at home, work, or in a car stop. This can make things worse for your case. It may mean a high bail. Or it can mean new charges. The court likes it more if you try to fix it.
An old warrant can lead to:
Arrest at bad times.
Harder bail terms.
More bad marks on your file.
Loss of a drive card.
It is key to talk to a law man. They know the law. They can help you know what the warrant means. They can help you make a plan. They can speak for you. They can help keep your rights safe.
A law man can help find the best way. This may be to turn your self in. They can set a time with the court. This may look good to the judge. Or they may file a note to the court. This asks to pull back the warrant.
PA law says some court files are open to all.
This law gives you the right to see and get copies of some state files. This helps make sure the state is open. You can learn more from the PA Office of Open Records. Their site is https://www.openrecords.pa.gov. While this law covers many files, warrant data access still has rules.
The UJS Web Portal (https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/) is the chief place. Here you can find case lists from:
Top PA courts.
Town crime courts (Courts of Common Pleas).
Small town courts (Magisterial District Courts). These deal with small crime, road laws, and landlord fights. You can see case facts for free.
If you want paper copies of files, you may need to ask. Some courts have forms. There may be a fee for these copies. Each court or town office may have its own way. It is best to check with the clerk of that court. For instance, to get a file from a small town court, call that court house. If your ask is big, they may make you use a form.