Colorado Warrant Search
A Colorado warrant search allows citizens of the state to search for any outstanding warrant to their name in case of an ongoing court proceeding or a criminal investigation.
A warrant in Colorado is issued upon reasonable belief or probable cause through hard facts with evidence or observation that someone has committed an offense, disregarded, or violated an outstanding court order.
Under the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA), government-issued records, including warrants, are public and are open for inspection by any interested party at reasonable times, particularly during business hours.
A Colorado warrant usually contains the following information about the arrestee:
- Full name
- Personal descriptors like weight, height, eye and hair color, sex, and race, if available
- Reason for the warrant
- Date and place when the warrant was issued
- Name and signature of the issuing judge
- Bond type and bail amount, if available
How Long Does a Warrant Stay Active in Colorado?
Colorado warrants usually stay active and never expire unless the person named on the warrant has been arrested or surrendered to the authorities. Under some circumstances, a judge can recall a warrant due to a false affidavit or lack of evidence. Those who turn themselves in voluntarily can avoid physical arrest and may be granted release with or without bail, depending on the gravity of the offense.
In the case of search warrants, they stay active for 14 days after the date and time of issuance.
What Are the Most Common Warrants in Colorado?
The most common warrants in a Colorado warrant search are a search warrant, a bench warrant, and an arrest warrant.
Search Warrant
A search warrant is issued when the police have to search someone’s property to find evidence due to any of the following reasons:
- Illegal possession of the property
- Seizure of property as authorized by law
- Stolen property
- The property is being used or has been used to commit a crime
- The property has violated the law
- The property will help in the apprehension of a suspect with an outstanding warrant
Once a search warrant is issued in Colorado, legal authorities can enter a property even without the owner’s consent to look for evidence. A search warrant must also contain the complete description of the property, person, or thing to be searched, inspected, and seized. The warrant must also name the person or people who have sworn the affidavit to support the issuance of the document.
Bench Warrant
A bench warrant is a type of warrant issued due to the following:
- Failure to obey a court order
- Violation of probation
- Failure to attend a court hearing
- Failure to pay child support
- Failure to pay court dues or fine
Those with an outstanding bench warrant must willingly appear before the court when performing a Colorado warrant search. Otherwise, the consequences would be paying additional fines, losing driving privileges, or even committing jail time.
Arrest Warrant
An arrest warrant is issued when someone is believed to have committed a crime or fails to comply with court procedures like failing to respond to a summon as part of jury duty.
Usually, a summon is issued for Class 3 misdemeanors, unclassified offenses, and petty offenses with a maximum sentence of six (6) months imprisonment. If an individual fails to answer a summon, they will be issued an arrest warrant.
When issued, arrest warrants must contain the following information:
- Name and description of the person to be arrested
- When and where the warrant was issued
- Time and place the warrant was executed
- The name and signature of the issuing judge
- The bail amount and conditions, if applicable
Compared to search warrants with a 14-day validity, arrest warrants remain active and valid until any of the following situations happen:
- The person named on the warrant is arrested
- The person voluntarily surrenders to authorities
- The judge recalls the warrant for lack of evidence or probable cause
How To Perform Warrant Search in Colorado
A Colorado warrant search is ideal since people named on the warrant are not notified that a warrant has been issued to their name. The public can check the office of the local sheriff to perform a warrant search or go through their official websites, if available. On the other hand, a quick search using third-party sites is also an option though results may vary depending on the available information.
Counties in Colorado
- Adams
- Alamosa
- Arapahoe
- Archuleta
- Baca
- Bent
- Boulder
- Broomfield
- Chaffee
- Cheyenne
- Clear Creek
- Conejos
- Costilla
- Crowley
- Custer
- Delta
- Denver
- Dolores
- Douglas
- Eagle
- El Paso
- Elbert
- Fremont
- Garfield
- Gilpin
- Grand
- Gunnison
- Hinsdale
- Huerfano
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Kiowa
- Kit Carson
- La Plata
- Lake
- Larimer
- Las Animas
- Lincoln
- Logan
- Mesa
- Mineral
- Moffat
- Montezuma
- Montrose
- Morgan
- Otero
- Ouray
- Park
- Phillips
- Pitkin
- Prowers
- Pueblo
- Rio Blanco
- Rio Grande
- Routt
- Saguache
- San Juan
- San Miguel
- Sedgwick
- Summit
- Teller
- Washington
- Weld
- Yuma