The Utah Justice System does not generally notify Defendants when a warrant is issued for their arrest.  In many cases the Defendant may not even know that a case exists.

For example, it is not uncommon for law enforcement officers to advise the targets of their investigation, “Just tell me what happened and everything will be just fine.”  The target explains everything, incriminates himself/herself but the officer holds off on an arrest.  Instead, the officer writes it up later (sometimes many weeks later), and submits the case to a Judge by way of a court pleading called an Information.  Based on the Information, the Judge has the power to issue an arrest warrant for the target, who would then be called the Defendant in a criminal case.

Once the warrant is active, the Defendant could face jail time if he or she is detained by a law enforcement officer for something as simple as a a broken tail light. This is true because a warrant check is standard procedure whenever a person is detained.  Indeed, most police cruisers carry a computer for just this purpose. So, if the warrant check reveals an active warrant, then the Defendant will likely spend time in jail until the matter can be resolved or bail is posted.

Further, if the bail amount is high enough, or there is no bail allowed (rare), or law enforcement takes a special interest in the case, a Defendant may be sought out and picked up based on the warrant.  So, both the existence of the warrant and the bail amount, if any, for the warrant are important.

The Utah Justice Foundation offers a free Warrant Check Program. This program is for criminal defendants only. It is not intended for attorneys or for the general public to check on anyone other than himself or herself.  If qualified, just complete an online form and we will search online records for an active warrant.  This is a free service of the Utah Justice Foundation, which is provided in order to allow Defendants to be informed of their rights at the earliest possible moment. 

Visit UtahJusticeFoundation.org and click on the Request a Warrant Check link under the Quick Links.

Please note that the Utah Justice Foundation does not provide legal advice. Always consult with an attorney at the earliest possible moment to protect your legal rights.

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