Wisconsin Warrant Search

A Wisconsin warrant search is a process by which individuals lookup warrants issued by courts authorizing law enforcement to arrest a person or search their property. A warrant search is most commonly conducted by individuals who wish to find out if a warrant exists against them, somebody of interest, or for other reasons. It is also possible to do a warrant search simply out of personal curiosity.

Queries for warrant information in the state are carried out through the Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP), a centralized database maintained by the state’s court system. CCAP allows the public to access statewide warrant information. Additionally, people can conduct warrant searches locally by submitting requests to their local police departments, sheriff's offices, or courts.

In any way, persons who perform a search for a Wisconsin warrant can expect to see the following details:

• The issuer of the warrant
• The date the warrant was issued
• The name of the warrant subject
• The description of the property searched or seized
• The reason or alleged charges cited for the issuance of the warrant
• Warrant status: active or expired
• The outcome of executing the warrant.

What is a Warrant in Wisconsin?

A warrant is a judicial order issued by a judge or magistrate directing law enforcement agents to perform a specific action stated on the order, such as arresting someone or searching a property. The common warrants issued by Wisconsin courts are arrest warrants, bench warrants, and search warrants.

The rules for issuing warrants in the state are found in the United States Constitution's Fourth Amendment and Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 968. These laws, in their bid to protect citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures, demand that a court only issue a warrant under established probable cause. To this end, a police officer or any other law enforcement agent requesting a warrant in the state must show the court enough evidence, confirmed under oath, to justify the warrant. If the court decides there is enough evidence, a warrant is issued.

Are Warrants Public Record in Wisconsin?

Yes. Warrants are public records in Wisconsin under the state’s Public Records Law. This means any member of the public can access information on warrants issued in Wisconsin.

However, not all warrant information is open to the public. Disclosure is dependent on whether or not a warrant is deemed confidential or exempt from disclosure by law. For instance, all warrant information that may constitute an invasion of a citizen’s privacy, information whose disclosure will impede or become a problem in an ongoing law enforcement investigation, or warrants connected to an expunged Wisconsin criminal record can be deemed confidential and restricted from public view.

How Do I Look Up Warrants in Wisconsin?

Members of the public looking to find warrants in Wisconsin may use any of the unofficial third-party aggregate sites on the internet. These sites are often centralized databases for information on warrants issued in all jurisdictions of the United States.

To conduct a warrant lookup on these sites, a person is generally required to provide the first and last name of the warrant subject. Other details like state, county, or city may also be required. These searches may be free or paid. Free queries, more often than not, will only provide basic warrant information. To access complete and detailed warrant reports, users of aggregate sites will have to pay a fee, which varies from site to site.

Some sites may offer free trials, especially for first-time users. However, users may expect to pay a fee of between $1 and $30 to use third-party sites to look up complete warrant reports on individuals of interest. Payments of the fees may be one-time, monthly, or any other recurring schedule, depending on the site.

While third-party sites make it easy to find warrants from any jurisdiction in the US, these service providers are not affiliated with the government. Hence, there is no guarantee the information obtained is current or totally accurate. So, it is good practice to verify any information obtained from outside government sources.

What is a Search Warrant in Wisconsin?

Per Wis. Stat. § 968.12, a search warrant is an order signed by a judge authorizing law enforcement to search a specified person, premises, property, or a thing like a car, when there is probable cause to believe evidence of a crime will be found.

Are Search Warrants Public Records in Wisconsin?

It depends. Active search warrants are not public records in Wisconsin. Per Wis.Stat. § 968.21, a search warrant is confidential and shall not be made public in any way until the search warrant is duly executed.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Search Warrant in Wisconsin?

While there is no standard or set timeframe for a law enforcement officer to get a search warrant approved in Wisconsin, it is not uncommon to get a search warrant issued within a few hours or minutes.

The core determinant of how long it will take to get a judge to issue a search warrant is how quickly an officer can demonstrate probable cause and supply enough evidence to support their request (Wis.Stat. § 968.12).

How Long Does a Search Warrant Last?

A search warrant issued in Wisconsin is valid for five days. According to Wis.Stat. § 968.15, once issued, a search warrant can be executed anywhere in the state within five days. After five days, the search warrant becomes invalid and must be returned to the judge who issued it.

What is a Bench Warrant in Wisconsin?

Per Wis.Stat. § 968.11, a bench warrant in Wisconsin is a written order issued by the court directing law enforcement officers to arrest and bring an individual before the court for disobeying a court order or process. This could be for failure to appear before the court, violation of probation, refusal to pay a fine, etc.

Bench warrants in Wisconsin do not expire. They are valid for the time it takes law enforcement to apprehend and bring the individual before the court.

What is an Arrest Warrant in Wisconsin?

An arrest warrant in Wisconsin is a judicial order that directs law enforcement officers to apprehend and detain a person for committing or being suspected of committing a criminal offense.

According to the state’s statute, an arrest warrant must be signed by a judge or magistrate and should include the name of the judge, date of issuance, the name or description of the person to be arrested, the alleged criminal offense, and a copy of the complaint affidavit (Wis.Stat. § 968.04).

How to Check if You Have a Warrant in Wisconsin

Individuals seeking information on whether a warrant exists against them or someone else can visit or contact the local sheriff’s office or police department in their jurisdiction to request warrant records. In the same vein, persons with ongoing court cases can reach out to their legal representatives to determine whether there is a bench warrant issued against them for failing to appear in court or disobeying a court order.

Alternatively, individuals can make in-person visits or request warrant information records by mail from a local court, where a warrant is likely to be issued. Information regarding how to request records by mail is available, in most cases, on the official website of the local court.

Furthermore, individuals can reach out to the Crime Information Bureau of the Wisconsin DOJ to request criminal background records, which may include an active or outstanding warrant. Criminal background records can be requested from the Crime Information Bureau by mail for $15 per person.

Can You Check Warrants Online in Wisconsin?

Yes, the state courts allow people to search for warrant information online through the Consolidated Court Automation Programs. Through the website, inquirers can find information on Wisconsin court records, including bench warrants, arrest warrants, etc.

Additionally, some local courts in Wisconsin allow individuals to conduct warrant searches on their own court record database. For example, individuals can search the Milwaukee Municipal Court’s case information database to determine if a warrant exists or not for an individual in the county.

Alternatively, individuals can use the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS) to send requests for criminal background records checks, which may include records of warrants issued against the person of interest. Requests through WORCS cost $10 per person.

Generally, the first and last name of the person of interest is a requirement for conducting warrant information searches on these online systems.

How To Find Out If You Have a Warrant for Free

A person may find out for free if a warrant against them exists in Wisconsin by doing any of the following:

• Call or visit the local sheriff's office or police department to seek information on active or outstanding warrants.
• Call or visit the local court clerk's office in person for warrant information.
• Search the case information portal of local courts with a person’s first and last name to determine if a warrant with those names exists.
• Conduct a search with a person’s first and last name on the CCAP portal.

How to Find Out if Someone Has a Warrant Online For Free in Wisconsin

Interested persons can find out if someone has a warrant online for free by conducting warrant information searches on the CCAP portal or searching the case information portal of local courts, like that of Milwaukee Municipal Court that was cited.

Note that while these searches are free and without any sort of limitation, not all warrant information will be available. Those deemed confidential and thus restricted from public disclosure will not be available.

How Long Does a Warrant Stay Active in Wisconsin?

How long a warrant is valid in Wisconsin depends on the type of warrant. A search warrant, for instance, is only valid for five days. However, other warrants, like arrest warrants and bench warrants, do not expire. They stay active until the court cancels them or the wanted person dies or resolves the warrant.

How Do I Find Out If I Have a Federal Warrant?

People typically don't find out about federal warrants against them until federal agents arrest them. Because federal warrants against persons are kept secret and hidden in the U.S. Marshals' Warrant Information System (WIN) database, which the public can't access, people never know whether or not there is a federal warrant with their name.

The only way for a person to find out if there is a federal warrant against them, which is not even a guarantee, is to hire a federal criminal lawyer with deep connections to premiere agencies like the FBI or CIA. Another way is for people to search for their names on the federal most wanted list. If their name shows up on that list, it usually means there is a warrant out for them.