How to Find an Arrest Warrant in Missouri

You may be able to avoid an arrest by contacting the court yourself.

An arrest warrant can be issued for a number of actions, although they are more commonly issued for inaction. Often, an arrest warrant is issued because a person fails to show up for a court date or fails to pay a fine. While it is best to abide by all court orders, sometimes mistakes are made. When that occurs, an arrest warrant might be issued without the person realizing it. If your legal matter is in a Missouri court, you can track down an arrest warrant.

Things You'll Need

• Citation
• Court orders

Instructions

1. In Missouri, contact the circuit clerk for the appropriate court. Each county in Missouri has a circuit court, which is usually located in the county seat. The clerk is responsible for the maintenance of all court records and documents and should be able to help you find out if an arrest warrant has been issued. Contact information for each county is found on the Missouri Courts website.

2. Provide as much information to the clerk as possible. The clerks are good at keeping records and locating them. However, it might speed the process if you can tell the clerk the name of the party you are searching for, the date of the violation and the type of case. Separate clerks are often in charge of different types of cases.

3. Use Missouri Case.Net to find an arrest warrant. If you do not know the county in which the warrant might have been issued, you can use Missouri's online court database. This is a free search, though it is not as up-to-date as the clerk's records. Once you find the appropriate case, you can view the court orders that have been posted regarding that case. However, once again, this is not as up-to-date as the clerk's records, and not all courts participate.

4. Contact the relevant police department in Missouri. If you are still unsure whether an arrest warrant has been issued, the police should be able to inform you if there is a warrant out for your arrest. The court often looks generously on someone who takes responsibility and reports to the appropriate authorities.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient when requesting information from the clerks. They are helpful, but they are also usually extremely busy.

• This information is for general use only and should not be regarded as legal advice.

References

• Your Missouri Courts: Circuit Courts of Missouri
• Your Missouri Courts: Meet Your Court Staff
• Your Missouri Courts: Litigant Name Search