Wisconsin Warrant Search

How to Run a Wisconsin Warrant Search Online 

Wisconsin warrant records are public records that are available for anyone to view. Accessing these public records has become a very straightforward process with the digitization of public records, and accessible through public record websites. To begin your Wisconsin warrant search, you will need to gather some basic information such as a person’s first and last name that you would like to research. Then you will simply enter their name into the search form and input any additional information that you have such as the county, age or date of birth. All that is needed, however, is the name of the person to begin. The reason you might need additional information is to make sure you have the right person as many people in the state have the same first and last name. Then you will be able to view that person’s reason for being issued a warrant, their previous criminal records and their complete public record abstract. 

What are Wisconsin Warrants? 

Wisconsin’s judicial system, which is similar to many other states, relies on the use of warrants to maintain law and order. Warrants are a legal instrument, issued by a judge or magistrate, that authorizes law enforcement agencies to perform arrests, bookings, issue warnings, jail and bring people to court as directed. There are a couple of different types of warrants that many people are summoned to court by, they are Wisconsin arrest warrants and Wisconsin bench warrants. Both are criminal offenses that have different consequences. However, a bench warrant is sometimes just a warning for a missed court appearance, jury duty absence, or delinquent court fees or fines. Warrants are public records that anyone can view, via the Freedom of Information Act. They are often bucketed under a person’s criminal record, even though they do not always result in a criminal conviction. 

The Different Types of Wisconsin Warrants 

In Wisconsin, there are two primary types of searchable warrants in the state, arrest warrants, and bench warrants. While both can be arrest worthy offenses, there are quite a bit of differences between them. Below are the main discernable differences between these two types. 

What Are Wisconsin Arrest Warrants? 

A Wisconsin arrest warrant is issued by a judge, that gives the police orders to detain and arrest someone that is suspected of committing a crime. This warrant is usually issued based on probable cause, supported by an affidavit detailing the suspected criminal activities. 

How to Run a Wisconsin Arrest Warrant Search 

To run a Wisconsin arrest warrant search, you will need a couple of things to begin, the full name of the person in question and their age or date of birth. Once you have that information you can proceed. Through a public record website, you can simply enter the full name of the person of interest and then search. Once your results are displayed you might need to filter your results with the middle name, middle initial, the age or date of birth. This last step is important because many people in the state have the same first and last name. Once you have completed that last step you will be able to view that person’s active Wisconsin arrest warrants, their criminal history and complete public record abstract. 

What Are Wisconsin Bench Warrants?

Bench warrants in Wisconsin are typically issued when a person fails to appear in court for a scheduled appearance, misses their jury duty appointment, has overdue court fees, or disobeyed a court order. Most of these types of warrants are minor infractions that are not offenses that someone can get arrested for. However, some of the more serious Wisconsin bench warrants can potentially lead to an arrest, especially if those are ignored. Unlike the arrest warrant, a bench warrant is not based on suspicion of a crime, but rather on a violation of courts. 

How to Run a Wisconsin Bench Warrant Search 

Just like any other warrant issued in the state, a Wisconsin bench warrant search starts by entering the name of the person of interest into a public record website search form. Once you get your results, you may get more than one result if the person you are searching has a common name. If that is the case you can usually sort those results by the middle name, or age, or date of birth. That way you will definitively know if you found the correct person’s warrant record. Once you’ve determined you have the right record, you will be able to view their reason for receiving a bench warrant plus any other criminal records, court records, arrests and incarcerations. 

What To Do If You Are Issued a Warrant in Wisconsin 

If you find out that a warrant in your name has been issued, it is very important to take it seriously and take immediate action. The first step is to confirm the validity of the warrant and make sure you are named and the reason for the issued warrant makes sense. If it is merely a bench warrant for a missed court date, then you might just be able to reschedule your Wisconsin court appearance, or a missed jury duty, and that will extinguish the situation. If it is more serious, like an arrest warrant, then you may want to reach out to a criminal defense attorney. They can help guide you to a peaceful surrender or perhaps fight the criminal allegations in court. Either way you will need to take action quickly. Ignoring a warrant can lead to additional complications, including an arrest at an inopportune time or increased penalties. 

Conclusion

Understanding the details and consequences of Wisconsin warrants, their types, and how they relate to criminal records is important in navigating the state’s legal and judicial system. Remember, if a warrant is issued in your name, it’s not the end of the world, you will just need to do some homework and possibly talk to an attorney to get the right legal advice. If you have had any recent court appearances, or previous criminal records, you may consider running a background check on yourself to make sure that your criminal record is accurate and that you have not missed anything or violated any probation or parole orders. If you do indeed have an active Wisconsin warrant , it will show up on a criminal background check along with details of what the charges are and in what county. This can be very helpful moving forward to mitigating your situation. A great place to perform this type of criminal background check is through a public record website, mostly because these online resources offer anonymous searching which gives you the advantage of being able to get ahead of the warrant, and talk to an attorney before being arrested.