Conduct a Free Montgomery County Warrant Search

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

Execute a free Montgomery County warrant search right away to see who’s wanted in this area.

Such a records search can be carried out using various official resources and through local and state governmental offices, thanks to public records statutes. Where warrants can be of different natures based on the type of crime committed by the individuals, the method of obtaining all of them is the same; the key is knowing how to access this information.

This streamlined article empowers citizens to run a warrant search in Montgomery County, Maryland, without any cost or hassle.

Information Necessary To Perform a Free Montgomery County Warrant Search

Like in most of the United States, warrant records are open to the general public in Montgomery County, Maryland as well. There are many specific laws and rules that make this availability possible while also creating some boundaries.

Primarily, it is the Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) that allows citizens to access and even retain copies of court records, including active and outstanding warrants through the state.1 According to this statute, certain official agencies, the courts, and law enforcement agencies in case of warrant records, are obliged to provide residents with open court records when requested.

However, there are certain exceptions to this availability as well according to rules 16-901 through 16-912 and 1-322.1 of the Maryland Rules of Procedure.2

Case records won’t be open to the public in an instance that the court has particularly ordered to seal them. A court-issued permission will have to be obtained to access those sealed records. Furthermore, records of cases involving juveniles won’t also be open to the public to ensure their safety and privacy.

Warrants are mainly released by the courts and law enforcement agencies execute them by arresting the named individuals. As mentioned in the beginning, warrants are of a variety of different kinds and each kind is based on a specific offense type.

The most common kinds of warrants issued in Montgomery County, Maryland are child support, search, arrest, bench, traffic, Capias pro fine and Capias and probation and parole warrants. The meaning of each of these warrant types will be discussed in this resource later on.

Residents can obtain warrant records from various official agencies free of cost. The main agencies that provide warrants in Montgomery County, Maryland include:

  1. Montgomery County Department of Police
  2. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department 
  3. Montgomery County Courts

The Montgomery County Courts primarily include the Circuit Court and the District Court that issue warrants and thus can provide residents with details. On the other hand, the Montgomery County Department of Police and Sheriff’s Department put those warrants in action and can give details to citizens upon request.

Before initiating the search, residents should have an understanding of what kind of information they must have about the subject in case it is someone other than themselves for a extensive warrant lookup. Most importantly citizens must know the full name of their warrant search subject, which includes the first and last name along with the middle initial.

Other than that, the time and location of the warrant issuance, its type, current status, the name of the court that issued it and contact information of the subject can help further filter the search for more accurate results.

How To Access Warrant Information in Montgomery County Maryland

A variety of different methods can be utilized to access warrant information in Montgomery County, Maryland. Primarily, residents can use the resources of the Montgomery County Courts.

The Montgomery County Courts, including both the Circuit and District Courts, endorse the Online Case Records Search Tool of the Maryland State Courts.3, 4

Although a state-level resource, the online search tool can be used to specifically search warrants, including other case records, in Montgomery County, Maryland.5 For this, residents will have to select “Montgomery County” in the county section and then simply continue their search.

Warrant records can be searched through this tool using the name of the subject or case number. Furthermore, searchers can add additional filters such as a time frame, name of the court that issued the warrant, case type, and court system.

A screenshot of the advanced search feature of the Maryland Judiciary case search tool displaying the following filters: first name, middle name, last name, court system, party type, case type, and county in which "Montgomery" is selected.
Source: Maryland Judiciary6

Researchers will be able to obtain an extensive range of information through this tool such as date of birth of the subject, case type, case status, case caption and issuance date. Furthermore, to obtain a complete summary of the case, residents can click on the case number next to their matching result.

A screenshot of an offender's case detail, particularly the "charge and disposition," "warrants," and "bond setting" information sections, highlighting the contents of the warrants section with an arrow which is composed of the following: warrant type, issuance date, judge, last status, and status date.
Source: Maryland Judiciary7

There is also a comprehensive FAQs section and a detailed instructions video available in case citizens face issues accessing the tool. In addition to that residents can also reach out to the Fugitive/Warrants Unit of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department to obtain details of active warrants.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department
Fugitive/Warrants Units
Room No. T400, 50 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, Maryland 20850

Phone: 240-777-7022
Fax: 240-777-7145
Email: [email protected]

The department can be called, emailed, mailed or visited in person for warrant details using the aforementioned contact details.

As another option, interested citizens can also contact the Montgomery County Department of Police, specifically its Warrants Section for details of active summons and arrest orders.8

Montgomery County Department of Police
Warrant Section
100 Edison Park Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878

Phone Number – 240-773-5360

To look for active warrants in Germantown, the most populated census-designated place of Montgomery County, interested citizens can contact the local police department.

Montgomery County Department of Police
Germantown Division
20000 Aircraft Drive
Germantown, Maryland 20874

Phone: 240-773-6200
Email: [email protected]

Verify Who Has a Warrant Throughout Maryland (Statewide Lookup)

Interested parties can verify if they or someone else has a warrant throughout the state using the Maryland Courts – Online Case Search Tool.3 This free tool allows residents to search active or outstanding warrants as well as other case records.5

Researchers can search for warrants using the subject’s full name or the case number. Furthermore, the tool also allows searchers to filter their searches by adding specific counties, a time frame, case type, court name, and court system.

A screenshot of a statewide search result from Maryland Judiciary Case Search listing the following details: case number, name, birthday, party type, court, case type, case status, filing date, and case caption, if available.
Source: Maryland Judiciary9

Citizens will be able to find complete warrant details in the results as well as a complete case summary. Primarily, details obtained from the tool include the type of offense committed by the individuals, their date of birth, date of warrant issuance, where and when it was issued, and the current status. In case of confusion or queries, searchers can check out the tool’s FAQs page.

Types of Warrants, What They Mean & Their Significance

As mentioned earlier, warrants can be of various kinds on the basis of the type of violation committed. Here are a few of the most usual warrant types issued in Montgomery County, Maryland along with their meaning:

Probation and Parole Violation Warrants – Probation and parole violation warrants are issued by the court for probationers or parolees who have violated the terms set for their early or conditional release.

Traffic Warrants -Traffic warrants are issued when someone commits a traffic-related offense and does not account for them.

Arrest Warrants – Arrest warrants are issued to legally allow law enforcement agencies such as the police to arrest certain individuals suspected or proven to have committed a crime.

Capias & Capias Pro Fine Warrants – Issued when a person fails to comply with the court’s orders or does not pay a court-ordered fine or fee.

Bench Warrants – Bench warrants are issued for people who do not appear on their due court appearances.

Search Warrants – Permit the police or other law enforcement agencies to search an area for evidence of a crime.

Child Support Warrants – Issued for divorcees who fail to pay child support decided by the court.

Fugitive Warrants – Served to runaways who have escaped to a different city, county, state, or country.

Get Rid of an Outstanding Warrant in Montgomery County Maryland

Quite a few different approaches can be taken to get rid of an outstanding warrant in Montgomery County, Maryland.8 Primarily residents can call the Fugitive Unit of the Montgomery County Police Department at 240-773-5360 to work out how they want to resolve their warrant.

In case of minor misdemeanors and unpaid fines, a small fee can save the citizen. However for more serious warrants and more serious crimes, it is suggested to consult a licensed attorney for the best legal routes.

As the last option the offender can also turn to voluntary turn-in at either the Warrant Turn-In Facility or the 6 district police stations of the county.10

Montgomery Department of Police
Warrant Turn-In Facility
Montgomery County Detention Center
1307 Seven Locks Rd.
Rockville, Maryland 20854

Phone – (240)773 6990

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department
Fugitive/Warrants Units
Room No. T400, 50 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, Maryland 20850

Phone: 240-777-7022
Fax: 240-777-7145
Email: [email protected]

In case residents are concerned for their safety, an anonymous tip on the wanted individuals can also be submitted to the Crime Solvers – Montgomery Police Department.11

Screenshot of the tip form provided by Montgomery County Police Department, providing a generous field for the description of information, offense type, place of incident, and nearest intersection or crossing street among others, along with a note to call 911 if the crime is in progress at the top.
Source: Montgomery County Police Department12

Complete instructions on how to carry out a Montgomery County warrant search have been outlined in this resource; residents can utilize this information to check if they or anyone they know has an active or outstanding warrant issued for them in Montgomery County, Maryland.


References

1Maryland Attorney General’s Office. (n.d.). Maryland Public Information Act. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/pages/opengov/pia.aspx>

2Maryland Judiciary. (2016). Maryland Rules Of Procedure – Title 16 – Court Administration. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://www.mdcourts.gov/sites/default/files/rules/supporting/178ropart1.pdf>

3Maryland Judiciary. (n.d.). Maryland Judiciary Case Search. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/>

4Maryland Judiciary. (2021, June). Access to Court Records. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://www.mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/courtrecords>

5Maryland Judiciary. (2021). Court Records. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://www.mdcourts.gov/courts/courtrecords>

6Maryland Judiciary. (2024). Search for Maryland Court Cases. Maryland Judiciary Case Search. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/inquiry-search.jsp>

7Maryland Judiciary. (n.d.). Case Detail. Maryland Judiciary Case Search. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/inquiryDetail.jis?caseId=6D00329650&loc=24&detailLoc=ODYCRIM>

8Montgomery County Department of Police. (n.d.). Warrants. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pol/howdoI/warrants.html>

9Maryland Judiciary. (2024). Search Results. Maryland Judiciary Case Search. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/inquirySearch.jis>

10Montgomery County Department of Police. (n.d.). Districts. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pol/districts.html>

11Montgomery County Police Department. (n.d.). Crime Solvers. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pol/howdoI/crime-solvers.html>

12Montgomery County Police Department. (n.d.). Tip Form. Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, Maryland. Retrieved March 21, 2024, from <https://www.p3tips.com/TipForm.aspx?ID=758&C=&T=>