Run a Free Shelby County Warrant Search on Anyone

Perform a Shelby County warrant search for free via various official record custodians and search tools. These options can be a great resource to find out if you or someone you know has any outstanding warrants. Of course, you can conduct a warrant search for any reason you want.

Warrant information is designated as a public government record under the Tennessee Public Records Act. While this state law provides broad access to these records, it does not mandate that agencies provide this information through a certain medium.

This resource will give you a better understanding of warrants and how to search for them in Shelby County, Tennessee.

This resource was written by Attorney Robert Bailey Jr, who holds a Juris Doctorate from Widener University School of Law.

Information Necessary To Find Warrant Details for Free in Shelby County

You should take the time to understand certain information about warrants before jumping into your first search. Warrant information can be found through various means depending on the record custodian. Knowing where to look and the information you need to conduct a search will make the process go much smoother.

Before you begin your search, it is important to know that certain warrant information may be exempt from the general presumption of availability afforded by the Tennessee Public Records Act. While there are a few different exemptions to public access, the one most often triggered with warrant information is when the release of the data may hinder an active police investigation.

This exemption is usually triggered with certain warrant types (more on the various kinds in Shelby County will be discussed in a later section). Search warrants usually contain sensitive information that, if disclosed, could allow evidence to be tainted or removed. For this reason, this type of warrant is often exempt from public disclosure until it is fully executed.

When you go to conduct a search for warrant information, you may access records in a couple of different ways. Informally, you can access warrant information through online databases, search tools, phone calls, and in-person searches. You can also submit a formal request for warrant information by mail or email.

Without certain information, it will be difficult to conduct a warrant search. Start with making sure you have the correct spelling of the person’s full name and the county where they reside (their complete address would be even more helpful). Make sure you know the county that issued the warrant to confirm you are looking in the right place.

In this case, you will want to confirm that a government agency in Shelby County issued the warrant.

In situations where you need more information, you might be able to include additional data about the person in your search. This information might include personal identifying information or physical characteristics (e.g., height, weight, eye color etc.). Helpful information may include anything you know about the warrant, such as why it was issued and when.

Record custodians can vary from one county to the next. In some counties, there may be multiple record custodians for warrant information. In Shelby County, you can obtain warrant information from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office or the Circuit Court.^{1, 2}

Within counties, there are also more local governments at the city and town level. Sometimes, these municipal governments also issue and maintain warrant information. In Shelby County, the cities and towns defer back to Shelby County for warrant information.

How To Look Up Wanted Persons for Free (Shelby County Warrant Search)

If you plan to look up warrant information, a great tool is the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office online search tool.³ You can conduct a search with their warrant information system by entering the person’s name or their street number and name.

When you conduct a search, the results will provide you with the person’s name, warrant number, and complete address. You can also obtain the person’s date of birth and other descriptive information (e.g., sex, race, weight, etc.).

On the far left-hand side, you can click on the camera icon to view the person’s mugshot. You can also click on the map link to get a picture of exactly where their house is located. Lastly, there is an option to send a tip if you know anything about the person you are searching for.

For additional information, you can contact the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. For any inquiries or to request additional warrant information, you can contact them via email or by calling them at 901-222-5500.⁴ You can also go in person to speak to someone at the address below:

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office
201 Poplar Ave., Ninth Fl.
Memphis, Tennessee 38103

Amore direct option may be to contact the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Division. They are responsible for executing outstanding warrants within Shelby County.

Another option is to search criminal cases for warrant information. The General Sessions Court in Shelby County handles minor criminal offenses, while the Circuit Court has jurisdiction over felony matters.

For additional questions or to inquire about searching records in person, you can contact the Shelby County Circuit Clerk’s Office at 901-222-3800. They are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The Shelby County Clerk’s Office is located at the following address:

Shelby County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office
140 Adams St., Rm. 324
Memphis, Tennessee 38103

For warrant information maintained with criminal cases tried at the General Sessions Criminal Court, you can contact the Clerk’s Office by phone at 901-222-3600 or by going in person to the address below:

General Sessions Clerk’s Office
271 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, Tennessee 38103

There is also a General Sessions Civil Court Search Tool, which can be used to search for certain warrant information.⁵ To use this tool, you can select one of the warrant options under the “case type” drop-down menu. You can then enter the person’s name and set a filing date range.

If there are any matching records, you can view information on these civil warrants.

At the municipal level you can check out the Memphis Police Department’s Most Wanted.⁶ Here you can view their mugshot and the type of crime they are wanted for. You can also view their warrant number and when it was issued. For additional information you can contact the Memphis Police Department.⁷ You can call them at 901-636-6500 or by going to the address below:

Memphis Police Department
170 N. Main St.
Memphis, Tennessee 38103

Warrant Types & Their Meanings

If you are searching for warrant information in Shelby County, it’s helpful to know the different kinds you may encounter. There are various warrants in Shelby County, and each has a unique purpose and reason for when they are issued.

The arrest warrant is issued when a person needs to be taken into custody for the alleged commission of a crime. This type of warrant is issued by a judge when law enforcement provides probable cause that the person committed a specific crime in violation of certain Tennessee statutes.

A probation and parole violation warrant may be issued if a person violates the terms of their sentence that was allowing them to stay out of jail. This type of warrant can revoke a person’s parole or probation and place them back in custody. A child support warrant can also lead to a person’s arrest if they fail to make their court-ordered payments or at least timely address the issue with the court.

A fugitive warrant gives other county and state government agencies the authority to arrest a person for a crime committed in another location. For instance, a person who committed a crime in Shelby County could be arrested by a Texas law enforcement agency with a fugitive warrant.

A bench warrant is issued when a person fails to show up for their hearing date or does not follow some other type of court order. This type of warrant is issued solely at the discretion of the judge and does not require law enforcement to submit a probable cause affidavit. However, a bench warrant can allow law enforcement to take a person into custody.

The search warrant is used to gather additional evidence of a potential crime. Like the arrest warrant, law enforcement will only receive this type of warrant from a judge if they can submit probable cause that there is particular evidence in a location that is not generally accessible to the public.

Lastly, a capias pro fine warrant is issued when a defendant has a judgment entered against them, and they ignore their duty to pay the appropriate restitution that was ordered by the court.

Note: Sometimes, there will be a designation next to a warrant that it is active. This means that the warrant has not been completed yet. For instance, an active arrest warrant means the person has not yet been taken into custody.

How To Resolve a Warrant in Shelby County

Now that you know how to conduct a warrant search in Shelby County, you need to understand what to do if you uncover important information about yourself, a friend, or a family member. Your search may have led to you uncovering an active warrant that you or a friend has that you were unaware of.

If you find out that someone else has an outstanding warrant, it is likely they already know as well. However, it would not hurt if you let them know, just in case. Of course, if you don’t know the person well or don’t have a good relationship with the person, you can pass along the information to someone more comfortable with telling them.

However, this is a moot point if the warrant is for a serious or violent criminal matter. In this situation, you should provide the law enforcement with any information you may have about the individual. Your best option is to submit a tip with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office or contact them directly by calling them at 901-222-5500 or going in person to the address below:⁸

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office
201 Poplar Ave., Ninth Fl.
Memphis, Tennessee 38103

If you have an outstanding warrant, then you must take action. You can consider resolving it yourself if all that is required is to reschedule a missed court hearing or pay any past due restitution or a fine.

However, if the situation is more serious, you will need to discuss the matter with a licensed criminal law attorney in Shelby County. They can help you understand the process and answer any questions.

You will likely have the chance to post bail after you are processed. To speed up the process, you can reach out to a bail bondsman in advance. Don’t forget to let your family know, especially those you live with.

This is a stressful situation, and you do not want to exacerbate it by failing to let people know that you may be worrying about you.

There is a lot to understand about warrants. You are now prepared to conduct a Shelby County warrant search with multiple tools; in addition, you know what to do when you uncover outstanding warrants for you or someone you know.