Free Jackson County Warrant Search (See Who’s Wanted)

Free Jackson County Warrant Search
Find out if you or someone else has a warrant out for their arrest in Jackson County, Missouri, free of charge.

Perform a free Jackson County warrant search to check on a pending court order against yourself, a loved one, or even a stranger.

Warrants are public records in Jackson County, Missouri; online search tools and local agencies can assist concerned citizens with obtaining relevant data on anyone wanted throughout the county.

Everyone should be proactive when faced with a warrant, and this resource was designed to streamline the process and make it seamless.

An Overview of Looking Up Warrants in Jackson County Missouri

To search and uncover information about open warrants in Jackson County, citizens can rely on a set of available tools.

There are different types of warrants that can be issued against a person. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is the entity responsible for executing all the warrants in the area, but they aren’t exactly available to provide information to searchers.1

On the contrary, if their recommendation were followed, every concerned individual would simply surrender at their Headquarters Office.

However, accessing information is powerful, and when dealing with a warrant, it may be the key to finding an effective approach to handle the challenge at hand. The Case Information System, provided by the Missouri Courts Judicial Branch, offers pathways for people to look up cases and find information about open warrants.

The Sunshine Law determines that warrants are public records and, as such, should be accessible and readily available to anyone trying to obtain that information.2 This article will explain how each of the resources available work and how concerned citizens can use those tools to their benefit when faced with a warrant, or the benefit of someone they care about when they’re the ones with a court order against them.

Jackson County Warrant Search: How To Determine if Someone Is Wanted

As it happens in most places, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is the agency that handles warrants in their jurisdiction. They have a Warrant Division, which is responsible for managing, keeping, and executing court orders in Jackson County.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office policy is to not provide information over the phone about someone’s potential open warrants. The only suggestion they provide is for anyone who may (or may not) have an open warrant against them, to surrender at the headquarters’ office.

Although turning themselves in is indeed an option, it’s not the only one. The Missouri Courts Judicial Branch allows people to look into court cases in every county of the state and helps them find information about potential warrants currently outstanding.

The tool they use to accomplish that is the Case Information System.3 There are many options to start a search, and users can choose to do it by name, case number, filing date, etc. In general, searching by name tends to be the most accessible because it doesn’t require knowing any other details about the case.

To run an effective inquiry, after clicking on “Litigant Name Search”, users must select Jackson County on the “Search For Cases In” field. Otherwise, the system will search the whole state database, which might not be the most convenient approach.

Screenshot of the search option for case search showing required field for last name and optional fields for first and middle names, case type and status, year filed, and location.
Source: Missouri Courts Judicial Branch4

When searching, inserting a last name is mandatory, but adding a first name is optional. The system will run the search without a first name if no more information is available. However, adding more data about the individual or the case will lead to targeted results and relevant information.

The Case Information System may bug out if the inquiry yields too many results and will come back to the user with a message of time out. That only means that more information must be added or more criteria selected so that the system can deliver a reasonable-sized list of results.

The results will appear as a summary of the case (or cases when the person has committed more than one offense). It’ll include details such as the offense, the full name of the individual, where they live, which department of the court is handling the case, and the case number.

By clicking on the case number, it’s possible to visit a dedicated area that will provide all the facts about the case – including if there’s an open warrant still to be executed.

Screenshot of the search result displaying the case details, including offender's name, address, case type and number, party type, and filing date, among others.
Source: Missouri Courts Judicial Branch5

After searching and finding what information is available on the Case Information System, the user may conclude that contacting the courts or the sheriff’s office is necessary.

The 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County has different departments for criminal and civil records.6 Considering warrants can be issued in all courts, it’s important to have the information on how to contact them if the need arises.

Screenshot of the map of Jackson County Courthouse, showing a location pin and the address in a bubble on the upper left corner.
Source: Jackson County 16th Circuit Court6

The Criminal Records Department has two offices where they serve concerned citizens.7 This is how they can be contacted:

Office 1 – Albert Riederer Community Justice Complex
1315 Locust
Kansas City, Missouri 64106

Phone: 816.881.4350

Office 2 – Independence Courthouse
308 W Kansas – Suite 127
Independence, MO 64050

Phone: 816.881.4500

Likewise, the Civil Records Department has two offices that can be contacted.8 This is their information:

Office 1 – Kansas City Courthouse
415 East 1th St – 3rd Floor
Kansas City, MO 64106

Phone: 816.881.3522
Fax: 816.881.3635

Office 2 – Independence Courthouse
308 W Kansas – 1st Floor
Independence, MO 64050

Phone: 816.881.4537
Fax: 816.881.4410

If the best approach, however, is to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, this is how they can do so:

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
4001 NE Lakewood Court
Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64064

Phone: 816.541.8017
Fax: 816.795.1969
Email: [email protected]

How To Perform a Statewide Warrant Search in Missouri

The Missouri Courts Case Information System, which, as mentioned in the previous section, helps citizens search for warrants in Jackson County, also allows people to search all cases in the state.

When it becomes necessary to look further and search for warrants issued at different jurisdictions, users can choose between accessing all courts at once or narrowing the search to the county or court of their preference.

If the choice is to look throughout Missouri, searches shouldn’t select a specific location. Also, they should be ready to provide at least the offender’s full name. Although inputting that information isn’t mandatory, it’d avoid having the system time out the search.

When the preference is to search a specific county or court (maybe Jackson’s surrounding counties, for example), users can select that place and make sure that only cases under that jurisdiction are presented as a result.

Should any problems occur while searching for records, users can contact the Missouri Courts Help Desk for support by using their online form.9

Screenshot of the online contact form for Jackson County with drop downs for the type and location of the issue, fields for the name and contact information of the sender, and the comment box.
Source: Missouri Courts Judicial Branch9

For specific information about cases found in the system, concerned citizens must contact the local courts using the list provided by the Missouri Courts Judicial Branch.10

What Types of Warrants Are There & What Does Each Mean?

There are many warrants out there, and their names might differ a little from one place to another. Generally speaking, warrants are issued by judges, and as court orders, they must be executed and complied with.

Besides arrest and search warrants (which are more known to the public), those are some of the court orders that may be issued in Missouri against any citizen:

  • Alias Warrants – at the initial stages of a court case, before a plea has been entered, individuals must comply with summons and citations they receive. When they fail to do so, a judge might issue an alias warrant to ensure the person will appear in court as required for the proceeding to begin.
  • Capias Warrants – those are usually issued after someone has already been convicted and a guilty verdict has occurred. When someone in that situation fails to appear in court or to comply with a court order, a judge may issue a capias warrant.
  • Capias Pro Fine Warrants – are similar to a capias warrant but directly connected to the non-payment of a court fine or restitution.
  • Governor’s Warrants – this is how Missouri names warrants issued for the arrest of individuals who committed crimes in other states and will likely be extradited after their imprisonment.

Whatever warrant someone may have against them, there are actions that can be taken in order to try and resolve them.

How Do You Resolve an Active Warrant in Jackson County Missouri?

While the Sheriff’s Office in Jackson County recommends people turn themselves in if they believe there’s an outstanding warrant, it’s important that citizens know they have options.

First and foremost, concerned citizens should know that some warrants can be conveniently dealt with just by paying a fine or amount due or by scheduling a day to appear in court. When in doubt if that’s the case, retaining an experienced attorney is advisable.

Lawyers can contact law enforcement and the courts and speak on their client’s behalf. Without putting anyone at risk, they can uncover information and assist people in finding out the best way to resolve their situation.

If, after all, the advised approach is to turn themselves in, it’s important to take two steps:

  • People should always communicate with their support net (family or friends) and let them know what’s going to happen. That avoids more stress and helps build community around the person who’s dealing with a warrant.
  • They should also contact a bond agency and make arrangements for their bail to be posted as soon as possible. Having a plan in place will help ensure they’ll be out of jail in no time.

When faced with a potential warrant, it’s important to be proactive to try and resolve the problem. Running a Jackson County warrant search is a key step that can help not only uncover what the order was issued for, but also the best way to approach it; use the guidance and links throughout this resource to look them up today.


References

1Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. (n.d.). Warrant Division. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://www.jacksoncountysheriff.org/Staff-Directory/Warrant-Division>

2Missouri Attorney General. (n.d.). Sunshine Law | Attorney General Office of Missouri. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://ago.mo.gov/get-help/programs-services-from-a-z/sunshine-law/>

3Missouri Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Case.net. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/welcome.do>

4Missouri Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Case.net: Name Search. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/nameSearch.do?newSearch=Y>

5Missouri Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Case.net: Name Search Results by Case. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/nameSearchResult.do?courtType=CT&countyCode=JAK&newSearch=Y&essn=&courtCode=CT16&lastName=smith&_inclAlias=on&firstName=john&middleName=&caseType=Criminal&yearFiled=2022&caseStatus=A&locationCode=>

6Jackson County 16th Circuit Court. (n.d.). Locations & Maps. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://www.16thcircuit.org/locations-maps>

7Jackson County 16th Circuit Court. (n.d.). Criminal Record Contacts. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://www.16thcircuit.org/contacts-2>

8Jackson County 16th Circuit Court. (n.d.). Civil Record Contacts. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://www.16thcircuit.org/contacts>

9Missouri Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Case.net: Help Desk Contact Form. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://www.courts.mo.gov/cnet/contact.do>

10Missouri Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Local Courts. Retrieved January 5, 2024, from <https://www.courts.mo.gov/page.jsp?id=321>