Waller County Warrant Search

A Waller County warrant search refers to the process by which individuals find active, outstanding, or executed warrants issued by courts or magistrates across the county. Information obtainable during a warrant search includes the full name of the individual named in the warrant, grounds or alleged charges backing the warrant’s issuance, the name of the issuing authority, and bond amount/conditions.

Magistrates and judges across Waller County are authorized to issue warrants, whereas peace officers, including the Waller County Sheriff, police officers, and sheriff deputies, are responsible for executing them. The corresponding Waller County arrest records provide additional information about the circumstances surrounding an arrest warrant.

Are Warrants Public Records?

Yes. Per the Texas Open Records Policy (also known as the Texas Public Information Act), arrest and search warrants and the associated affidavits are public information. As such, they are subject to inspection and copying by the public.

Despite the provisions of the Open Records Policy, access to warrants may be limited under certain conditions. For instance, under the Art. 18.01.(b), Chapter 18 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure (CCP), an affidavit issued for a search warrant, is non-public pending the warrant’s execution. Furthermore, Rule 12 of the Texas Rules of Judicial Administration provides that certain records, such as those pertaining to juveniles and sealed court records, are not public.

Types of Warrants in Waller County

Courts in Waller County issue different kinds of warrants to sanction various legal actions, including arresting a person, searching a place or person, seizing properties or items, and obtaining DNA samples. The main types of warrants in Waller County are arrest, bench, and search warrants.

Although arrest warrants are similar to bench warrants, they both serve distinct functions. While arrest warrants order the arrest of individuals suspected of committing crimes, bench warrants order that individuals be apprehended and brought before the court for violating legal obligations.

On the other hand, search warrants order officers to search a person or property, seize designated materials, and bring them before the issuing court.

Do I Have a Warrant in Waller County?

Provided a warrant is public, interested parties may look for them using any of the following methods:

• Contacting the clerk of court where the warrant was issued by phone or email
• Looking up active warrant lists published on law enforcement and court websites
• Having an attorney conduct the search on their behalf
• Visiting the court where the warrant is believed to have been issued
• Using third-party websites.

Active Warrant Search in Waller County

All Waller County warrants are issued by courts and executed by law enforcement officers in various agencies across the county. The court that issued a warrant is the first call when looking for the warrant. Police departments and the Waller County Sheriff’s Office also maintain records of warrants executed by their officers and may facilitate a search. Contact the agency at:

100 Sheriff R. Glenn Smith Drive
Hempstead, TX 77445
Phone: (979) 826-8282

These agencies offer both online and in-person options for people looking for warrants. Additionally, some agency websites contain emails and phone numbers where inquiries can be channeled. Nevertheless, researchers are advised to know the first and last name of the warrant’s subject, as well as the court or law enforcement agency that handled the warrant.

Arrest Warrant Search

Arrest warrants are public, although access may be restricted if there is cause to believe that making a warrant public may cause a suspect to evade arrest. The warrant division of a law enforcement agency sometimes mails notices or places telephone calls to notify individuals of the existence of a warrant in their name. Some police departments maintain public databases where interested individuals can search for active warrants.

For instance, the Hampstead Police Department maintains an active warrant list on its website. Individuals can search the list by holding CTRL+F and entering their name in the text field that pops up. To find actual warrant copies, the best option is to appear at the courthouse in person and submit a record request with the name of the individual named on the warrant.

Bench Warrant Lookup

Bench warrants are usually maintained by the court that issued them. Interested parties should visit the appropriate courthouse with the name of the individual named on a warrant and submit a record request. The request must be in writing and must contain information about the warrant subject as well as the record seeker.

Furthermore, if a bench warrant was issued in association with an ongoing legal proceeding, such warrants may be found while perusing the associated case file. For inquiries pertaining to record requests, call (979) 826-7735.

Free Warrant Search

Warrants, like other public records, are free and may be obtained at no cost from the appropriate court or law enforcement agency. However, record seekers are liable to pay for any copies obtained for personal custody. Note that certain agencies charge nominal search fees even when a copy is not requested. For instance, searches conducted at the Waller County Clerk’s Office cost $5.00 for each searched name. Online warrants lists are usually free.

Can You Check Warrants Online?

Yes. Some courts and law enforcement agencies publish warrant lists on their websites, with information such as the warrant subject’s name, gender, alleged crimes, citation number, and issuing court. However, these websites may not include actual warrant copies.

An alternative to official resources are third-party aggregate websites used for court record lookups. They are similar to official websites, though they usually cover information gathered from multiple agencies. This makes them suitable for a wider search, especially if a researcher does not know the court that issued a warrant. Online warrant search tools are searchable by the first and last names of warrant subjects.

Do Waller County Warrants Expire?

Certain warrants expire while others do not. While arrest and bench warrants stay active until the individual named on the warrant voluntarily turns themselves in or gets apprehended by a peace officer, search warrants expire after a designated period. Since arrest warrants are not subject to any statutes of limitation or statutory deadlines, they remain active indefinitely and may follow a person for the rest of their life unless arrested or the warrant is cancelled.

The validity period of search warrants varies between three and 60 days, depending on the type of search warrant. Per Art. 18B.324 or the code of criminal procedure, administrative search warrants have the longest validity period (not more than 60 days). A 10-day validity period applies to warrants issued under Article 18B.354 or Subchapter G-1. In any case, the issuing magistrate or judge may decide to impose a shorter or longer validity period, depending on the specifics of the case at hand.

How to Clear a Warrant Without Going to Jail

Warrant subjects in Waller County can resolve their warrant without going to jail through any of the following:

• Voluntarily showing up at the issuing court to address the charges. This action is seen as a good-faith move and usually does not result in the warrant subject's arrest.
• Satisfy the bond conditions if the warrant includes any. Warrant subjects may post a surety, cash, or attorney bond with respect to their warrant to keep them away from jail prior to a court appearance. This can be done with the services of a bail bondsman or attorney.
• Pay the warrant using any methods allowed by the court. However, note that making this payment implies that a person is guilty of the leveled charges and may ultimately lead to a jail term if the associated offense is jailable.

Although warrants are mostly paid in person at the courthouse, certain courts, like the Hampstead Municipal Court, offer an online payment option. Regardless of a person’s preferred method, it is best to seek guidance from an experienced attorney. The clerk of the court where a warrant was issued may assist with relevant information regarding the options available to wanted individuals.