Utah Warrant Search

Are Warrants Public Records in Utah?

Per the Government Records Access and Management Act, warrants are public records unless otherwise stated by Utah statute. Therefore, anyone can make a request to law enforcement agencies in Utah to inspect or obtain copies of a warrant. However, warrant information contained in sealed or expunged Utah criminal records is deemed confidential in the state. Such records will only be accessible to a selected few, like the subject of the warrant, their attorneys, and criminal agencies in Utah.

What is Considered a Warrant in Utah?

A Utah warrant is a document signed and issued by a court giving authorization to the police to undertake a certain action(s) against a suspect. Warrants in Utah are not issuable without probable cause. Hence, the applying officer must show probable cause and present reasonable grounds before the judicial officer at the court attends to the warrant request.

There are two classes of warrants in Utah: bondable warrants and cash-only warrants. If the warrant is bondable, then a bail bond company may be used to post the bond on behalf of a person. Whereas, if a warrant is cash-only, the individual pays the total amount of bail in cash.

Paying with cash only has benefits; for example, money may be refunded after resolving the case. Examples of warrants in Utah include search warrants, arrest warrants, and bench warrants. A search warrant gives a law enforcement agency the power to conduct a search and seize specific objects in a particular location. In contrast, an arrest warrant is usually issued to arrest an alleged offender. On the other hand, judges dispense bench warrants against individuals who refuse to appear in law courts.

A warrant does not give law enforcement officers absolute and unlimited power to find and arrest a person. Instead, it allows them to act under certain conditions. If the officer does not meet these conditions, the act then becomes a violation of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Some warrants have time limits, which mean if law enforcement agencies do not enforce these warrants within a certain period, the warrant expires, and police may no longer make an arrest.

How to Find Out if You Have a Warrant in Utah?

Firstly, a person living in Utah may find out if there is an active warrant against them by conducting a Utah warrant search via the Utah Department of Public Safety. Interested parties must provide at least their first names and last names. However, information on the portal may not be updated since the department depends on courts to upload the warrants, and some courts may delay. Secondly, parties who wish to check for active Utah warrants may call the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification at (801) 965-4445 to make inquiries on the phone.

Lastly, interested individuals may contact the Court Clerk in the county of residence. Warrant details at the courts are usually authentic since it is the courts that issue warrants. If there is an active warrant against a party, it is better not to handle it personally. Rather, persons with active warrants may seek counsel from attorneys who weigh the warrants and then determine how to resolve them.

Records of warrants issued or executed in various jurisdictions are also maintained and by third-party websites. While third-party sites make accessing these records substantially easier, the information available on the sites may vary since they are not government-run sources. To obtain warrant records from a third-party site, the requesting party may be required to provide:

• The personal information of the alleged suspect
• Information regarding the issuing officer
• The location where the warrant was issued.

How Long Does a Warrant Stay Active in Utah?

Warrants remain active until offenders or fugitives appear before a judge or in courts. However, Utah search warrants may come with expiry dates. Also, an arrest warrant may expire according to the statute of limitation, which dictates the timeline a person may be charged for a particular crime. Nevertheless, there is no time limit for felony offenses. Warrant units in Utah also work with other states to arrest violators and extradite fugitives. Hence, parties who refuse to address active warrants risk being arrested at any place.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Warrant in Utah?

Generally, police officers can get warrants in a couple of hours after filing a complaint and supporting an affidavit with the appropriate court. However, there can be delays if there is no probable cause to determine that a crime has occurred and the person named in the complaint committed the alleged crime.

How Do Search Warrants Work in Utah?

A search warrant is a legal document directing an officer to search or seize property, person, or place. For searches in specific areas, law officers must speak with magistrates who have jurisdiction over the counties and present affidavits describing the intention and reasons to search or seize property. Upon issuance, the executor must fulfill the search warrant within ten days and during the daytime unless the judge specifies otherwise.

A law enforcement officer must serve a warrant in one of the acceptable means. For an announced entry, the officer knocks on the door, reveals their purpose, and produces the warrant for examination by the resident. In exceptional cases and upon judges' authorization, the police may enter a building forcefully if persons living in the premises refuse to cooperate with the officers. Ultimately, the police may search a building or residence without a search warrant in events such as:

• Life-threatening emergencies
• In hot pursuit of a suspect
• There is about to be the destruction of evidence

Since a search warrant specifies the individual to be searched, an officer may not search anyone not named on the warrant on the premises. However, an officer may frisk a person with weapons if others may be in danger. It is also possible for law officers to seize evidence and contraband other than what is on a search warrant under the U.S. Supreme Court Plain View Doctrine.

After the search, the police officer returns the seized items and a copy of the search warrant to the court. The law enforcement agent also leaves the receipt and a copy of the search warrant with the party whose property was seized or whose possession it was discovered. To satisfy the warrant's conditions, the officer must provide the issuing judge with a written inventory of items seized.

How Does a Utah Search Warrant Become Invalid?

A search warrant becomes invalid when a law enforcement officer does not follow the stated guidelines to execute a search warrant. Following the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, any unreasonable seizures or searches that violate a human's right make a search warrant groundless. In addition, before a judge issues a search warrant, a law enforcement officer must present reasonable cause to believe that the suspect committed the crime. Hence, if a judge dispenses a warrant without probable cause, the search warrant is illegal.

How to Conduct an Active Warrant Search in Utah

The Utah Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) has a Statewide Warrant Search tool that can be used to conduct an active warrant search. The search criteria/data are by last name and first name. A middle initial can be provided to facilitate the search. A list of wanted persons with the searched name will be provided. Click the “view” link to find the warrant details of a specific wanted person. The search result will reveal the person’s name, age, case number, court name, and charges. Alternatively, an active warrant search can be conducted online or in person at some County Sheriff’s Offices in Utah. Check the website of the sheriff’s office in the county where the warrant was issued to see if they have online tools for a warrant search. If there are no online services, visit the county sheriff’s office during business hours to conduct a search for an outstanding warrant.

Free Warrant Search Options in Utah

Most law enforcement agencies in Utah offer free online access to warrant information. For example, a free warrant search can be conducted online or in person at the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. The Office allows requesters to use the Most Wanted Fugitives list on its website to retrieve warrant information in the County. Search results reveal the fugitive’s full name, age, last known address, height, weight, race, hair and eye color, charges, scars, marks, & tattoos, and date.

In-person requests can be made by visiting the Sheriff’s office during business hours. The name and birth date of the fugitive may be required to facilitate the search. Requesters do not need to pay to view warrant information, but copies of any record attract a nominal fee. The office is located at:

Utah County Sheriff's Office
3075 North Main
Spanish Fork, UT 84660
Phone: (801) 851-4000
Fax: (801) 851-4009
Email: sheriffrecords@utahcounty.gov

Utah Arrest Warrants: Rules of Procedure

In Utah, arrest warrants give police officers the grounds to apprehend crime suspects at any time and place. Nevertheless, the Utah Code Section 77-7-5 states how and when to execute arrest warrants, depending on the crime. A magistrate possesses the authority to issue an arrest warrant if there is probable cause to believe that a party violated the state law. The magistrate may provide the arrest warrant for an existing felony or misdemeanor charge, and it usually contains:

• The name of the issuing court and the county
• The case number.
• The defendant’s details.
• The date and time of the issuance
• The judge’s signature.
• The alleged offenses and their severity

Officers may execute arrest warrants during the daytime from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm or nighttime between 10:00 pm and before 6:00 am. If the offense is a felony, the law officer may execute the arrest at any time of the day or night. Should the offense be a misdemeanor, a law enforcement officer may arrest the suspect at night given that:

• The magistrate gives permission, and it is stated in the warrant.
• The suspect to be brought to book is on a highway or in a public space.
• A peace officer finds the suspect during an investigation for another crime not related to the misdemeanor.

In general, parties who have arrest warrants against them may not get any form of notification. Therefore, residents must perform a Utah warrant search and make sure to appear in court if there is an active warrant. Parties who are answering arrest warrants, whether voluntarily or otherwise, may seek the services of criminal defense attorneys.

Utah Child Support Arrest Warrants: What You Need to Know

A child support arrest warrant is issued for the failure to pay what is expected in child support. The court orders this arrest warrant once the obligor (usually the non-custodial parent) owes one or more months of child support payments. In addition, the child support arrest warrant allows the police to detain the parent owing and present the individual to court for further prosecution.

The refusal to pay child support is contempt against the court. If there was a previous conviction or the non-custodial parent has missed 18 months in a row, the court charges such a person with a third-degree felony, which is punishable by five years imprisonment and $5,000 in fine. A lesser criminal non-support offense is a Class A misdemeanor and only attracts one year in jail and $2,500 in fine.

Failing to pay court-ordered fines in Utah and refusing to notify the court of certain hardships often results in severe outcomes. Some of the consequences may take a toll on the parents’ finances, like the garnishment of wages, while others may influence the credit reports of defaulters.

Utah Bench Warrants: Issuing and Arrests

A Utah bench warrant is an arrest order against an accused person who did not appear in court. A judge gives a bench warrant for a person in compliance with the Utah Code Section 77–7–19(3) if such a party fails to appear in court to answer to a judge for a previous arrest or if the individual fails to adhere to a previously issued judicial order. The warrant gives a law enforcement agent the authority to take the offender into custody and bring the individual before a judge. Nevertheless, the most common reasons judges may issue bench warrants are:

• Failure to pay a court fine promptly
• Refusal to appear in court for a required court appearance.
• Failure to comply with probation conditions

Unlike typical arrest warrants, bench warrants do not require law enforcement officials to arrest persons in their homes or workplaces. Instead, legal officers may take into custody individuals with active bench warrants when stopped for any other reason like a DUI or traffic offense. A bench warrant does not expire. This implies that it is only resolvable if the individual is arrested and brought before the judge or the issuing judge recalls the warrant. A party who suspects there may be an active bench warrant against them may carry out a Utah warrant search.

Failure to Appear in Utah: Rules and Consequences

In line with the Utah Code Section 77–7–19(3), a judge may issue a “Failure to Appear” warrant for an individual’s arrest if the person misses a court date. If a defendant is released on bail after a previous arrest, the person’s presence is mandatory in court for any future court dates. The failure to appear in courts on those dates leads to the issuance of bench warrants (Utah Code Section 77–20b–101(1)) and/or charges for bail jumping (Utah Code Section 76-8-312). Before issuing a warrant or other punishment, the court must prove that the defaulter does not have a just cause for being absent in court. A just cause could be a medical emergency or other unavoidable events.

How Long Do You Have to Stay in Jail for a Warrant for Missing Court in Utah?

A failure to appear in court for a minor traffic offense, speeding ticket, or other citations is a Class B misdemeanor. A Class B misdemeanor attracts up to six months of jail time and a maximum fine of $1,000. Furthermore, according to Utah Code Section 76-8-312, if a person posts bail and is released but still fails to appear in court subsequently, such individual is guilty of jumping or skipping bail. It is a Class B misdemeanor if the initial offense is a misdemeanor or a third-degree felony if the first offense was a felony. An offender guilty of a third-degree felony faces five years of incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000.

Failure to Pay in Utah: How It Works

According to Utah Code Section 77–7–19(3), a judge in Utah issues a “Failure to Pay” warrant if an individual fails to pay a fine. If a party fails to comply with the payment of child support or traffic fine, the court has no other option than to force the person to appear in court. Sometimes, courts provide defendants with reasonable opportunities to pay fines in installments. And if an individual fails to keep up with a payment plan, the court issues an arrest warrant or suspends the person’s driver’s license.

No-Knock Warrant in Utah: General Laws

Per Utah Code Section 77–23–210(3a), a no-knock warrant in Utah is a search warrant issued by a judge granting a law enforcement official the authority to gain access to a building without knocking initially or pronouncing their presence or purpose. Utah courts issue no-knock warrants in situations where announcements before entry may lead to destruction or manipulation of evidence or endanger the safety of individuals or that of the law enforcement agents.

How to Perform a Federal Warrant Search

The United States Marshals Service allows eligible individuals to use its Warrant Information System (WIN) to perform a federal warrant search. With WIN, authorized users can track the status of all federal warrants to aid in the investigations of all federal fugitives. Similarly, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uses its “Most Wanted” page to provide access to the list of federal fugitives with federal warrants. Click on the images of fugitives to access specific information.

Does Utah DMV Check for Warrants?

The Utah DMV does not check for warrants. However, when a driver has traffic citations and refuses to pay the fines or go to court on the due date, a warrant will be issued for their arrest. The Utah DMV will be notified of the citation and can suspend the person’s driver's license.