What to Do if You Have an Arrest Warrant in Arkansas

Checking for an Arrest Warrant

There are several ways to see if you have an outstanding arrest warrant:

1. Check the County Website

Some counties and cities have an arrest warrant look up on their websites. The only information required to perform an arrest warrant search is a first and last name. For example, Northwest Arkansas, the following cities and counties provide searches or lists of outstanding warrants:

Washington County: https://www.washcosoar.gov/res/Warrants.aspx

Benton County: https://benton-so-ar.zuercherportal.com/#/warrants

Fayetteville: https://www.fayetteville-ar.gov/1335/Warrant-Search

2. Call the Sheriff’s Office

If the county you are looking in does not have an arrest warrant search or listing on their website, or you think you might have a warrant in a city or other location that you cannot look up online, call your local sheriff’s office or police department; they can look up your information and let you know of any outstanding warrant(s) in the state, and the city/county that has issued the warrant.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office: 479.444.5700

Benton County Sheriff’s Office: 479.271.1008 

3. Search on the AR Courts Website

Another way to see if you have an arrest warrant is to look up your first and last name, case number, or citation number on the AR Courts website.

https://caseinfonew.arcourts.gov/opad

What it Means to Have an Arrest Warrant in Your Name

If a district court judge, circuit court judge, or a magistrate has probable cause for believing that you have committed an offense, an arrest warrant will be issued in your name. The arrest warrant must contain: (1) the name of the person being charged with an offense, (2) the name of the county where the offense occurred, and (3) a description of the offense. Once an arrest warrant is issued, any law enforcement officer has the power to arrest you. If you are arrested, you must appear before a judge or magistrate in the same county where the offense occurred.

How to Avoid Arrest

A member of law enforcement may run a search of your name upon contact, even during a traffic stop.  If your name comes back with an arrest warrant, the law enforcement officer may arrest you, or advise you of the outstanding warrant if the arrest warrant location is a distance from your current location or based upon the underlying alleged crime. An arrest warrant will stay active until the person charged with an offense is apprehended by a law enforcement officer, the person dies, or the warrant is otherwise cleared by the court.

What to Do If You Have a Warrant

As soon as you find out about a warrant (whether you are arrested or not), the first step you need to do is contact an attorney. An attorney can discuss the available options, how they can help, and next steps. It is NEVER a good idea to ignore an arrest warrant. Speaking to an experienced attorney as soon as possible after finding out about the arrest warrant is the best first step in the process.

If you have questions or concerns about a warrant or any criminal matter, The Law Group of Northwest Arkansas can help. Contact The Law Group of Northwest Arkansas PLLC to schedule a free, initial consultation with one of our Criminal Law attorneys. You can also contact us by using our online contact form or calling 479-316-3760.