Massachusetts Warrant Search
A warrant in Massachusetts is a court-issued document that allows law enforcement officials to conduct legal activities like searching someone’s property, summoning them to court, or arresting them for a possible crime. A Massachusetts warrant search allows individuals in the state to find out if they have a warrant to their name. Warrants are also issued when someone fails to attend court hearings or pay court dues in time.
All warrants issued in Massachusetts are uploaded to the Warrant Management System. This computer database allows law enforcement officers, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and individual courts to access every warrant issued by the Trial Court.
Warrants contain information on the person named on the warrant, the alleged offense or violation, the issuing date, and the name of the judge who signed and issued the warrant.
How Long Does a Warrant Stay Active in Massachusetts?
Like most warrants, warrants in Massachusetts stay active unless executed. However, different warrants have different expiration dates in the state. For example, search warrants must be executed seven (7) days after their issuance, or they will be considered invalid or expired. The same rules do not apply to arrest and bench warrants since both generally do not expire.
What Are the Most Common Warrants in Massachusetts?
The most common types of warrants when performing a Massachusetts warrant search are listed below.
Search warrant
This type of warrant usually allows law enforcement officers to search individuals, vehicles, or properties for stolen items. However, a search warrant is also issued when a person is suspected of possessing contraband or other similar items illegally or if they have something that will serve as a piece of evidence for a crime.
On the other hand, there are times when a search warrant is not necessary when a suspect is already convicted of a crime, and the law needs to search their house or any other property for further evidence.
Arrest Warrant
Also known as “straight warrants,” an arrest warrant is issued when there is enough evidence or probable cause that a person has committed a criminal offense. Under Massachusetts law, all justices of the district, superior, and supreme courts can issue arrest warrants which must contain the person's name and the crime they allegedly committed that led to their arrest.
Bench warrant
Unlike search and arrest warrants, where a criminal offense is considered, a bench warrant is issued when one violates the rules of their active court case. Most of the time, the court issues a bench warrant when someone fails to show up or appear in court for a hearing or a follow-up trial after getting out on bail. Another reason to get a bench warrant is not paying for child support.
Once a bench warrant is issued, the local police can perform a warrant sweep and pull the person named on the warrant at a traffic stop. Once a bench warrant is issued to a person’s name, their driver’s license will also be suspended at the same time, which might result to stiffer penalties from the court.
How To Perform Warrant Search in Massachusetts
The public can perform a Massachusetts warrant search in different ways.
The easiest way is to get notified that a warrant has been issued to a person’s name, especially with a bench warrant. State law dictates that a person named in a bench warrant must be informed of their violation and further instructions on clearing their warrant. The limit for this from the time of issuance is a maximum of 30 days.
In some cases, the subject named on the warrant may not be notified that a warrant has been issued to their name. The public may perform a quick warrant search using third-party sites or check through the warrant list available from the county sheriff’s websites or the court of clerks. In-person searches are also available, except for the risk of getting arrested if the requestor happens to have a warrant to their name.
Lastly, requestors can perform a criminal offender record information (iCORI) search as part of the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) service. The data provided by iCori are maintained by the Office of the Commissioner of Probation, and requesters must first register to have an account. Otherwise, the public may send a records request to DCJIS to check for any active warrant.