Philadelphia County Warrant Records

Philadelphia County warrant records are maintained by multiple agencies across the city. The Philadelphia Sheriff's Office operates a Fugitive Warrant Unit that runs around the clock. The Philadelphia Police Department also serves warrants through its own Fugitive Unit and district stations. Searching for warrant records in Philadelphia County involves checking court records, the sheriff's office, and police databases. This guide explains how those systems work and where to find the records you need.

Philadelphia Sheriff's Warrant Unit

The Philadelphia Sheriff's Office handles warrants through its Fugitive Warrant Unit. Sheriff Rochelle Bilal leads the office. The unit operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It assists other agencies and enforces protection from abuse orders and custody orders. The main office is at 100 S Broad St, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19110. You can reach the general line at (215) 686-3530. The Warrants Unit direct line is (215) 683-3726.

The Philadelphia Sheriff's Office website below provides details about the Fugitive Warrant Unit and its operations across Philadelphia County.

The Fugitive Warrant Unit executes many types of warrants in Philadelphia County. These include child support warrants, dependency warrants, bench warrants, arrest warrants from other jurisdictions, fugitive of justice warrants, judicial body warrants, and body attachments. Charges range from retail theft to murder. The unit works with local, state, and federal agencies on joint operations and regional task forces. If you or someone you know has an active warrant, call (215) 683-3726 to arrange a safe surrender.

Philadelphia Police Warrant Records

The Philadelphia Police Department is the primary municipal law enforcement agency in Philadelphia County. The department serves municipal court warrants and operates its own Fugitive Unit. District stations across the city handle local warrants as they come in. The police department also takes part in regional task forces and conducts warrant sweeps to bring in people with outstanding warrants.

Police warrant records in Philadelphia County are separate from the sheriff's records. A person may have warrants handled by one agency or both. The police department focuses on criminal warrants tied to active investigations. The sheriff's office handles warrants that come through the court system. Both agencies coordinate through shared databases. When you search for warrants in Philadelphia County, checking both sources gives you the most complete picture.

Note: The Philadelphia Police Department conducts periodic warrant sweeps. During these operations, officers serve multiple warrants in a targeted area. These sweeps are announced publicly and often result in dozens of arrests across Philadelphia County.

Searching Philadelphia County Warrants

Several options exist for searching warrant records in Philadelphia County. Online tools provide the fastest access to basic case information. The Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Portal at ujsportal.pacourts.us covers all counties. You can search by name or case number. The portal shows docket information, charges, and warrant status for cases filed in Philadelphia County courts.

The Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History system at epatch.pa.gov offers statewide criminal background checks. This tool can reveal warrant-related information from Philadelphia County and other jurisdictions. It is available online and provides results quickly for most searches.

For in-person searches, you have these options:

• Visit the Sheriff's Office at 100 S Broad St, 5th Floor
• Call the Warrants Unit at (215) 683-3726
• Contact a Philadelphia Police district station
• Check court records at the Criminal Justice Center

Philadelphia County is a consolidated city-county. All warrant records fall under one jurisdiction. There are no separate municipal courts outside the Philadelphia court system. This makes searching simpler than in counties with multiple municipalities and magisterial districts.

Open Records Requests

Philadelphia County follows the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law for public records access. You can submit a formal request for warrant records through the city's open records process. The Philadelphia Open Records Policy explains how to file a request. LaVanda K. Harris, Esq. serves as the open records officer for the Sheriff's Office, located at 100 S Broad St, 5th Floor. You can email her at LaVanda.K.Harris@phila.gov.

The city has five business days to respond to a request. A 30-day extension is available for complex requests. Act 22 requests carry a $125 recording fee. For police records, contact the Philadelphia Police Right-to-Know office. Lt. Barry Jacobs handles those requests at 400 N Broad St, 4W-72. The general city open records contact is Feige Grundman, Chief Deputy City Solicitor, at 1515 Arch St, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102. You can call (215) 683-5008 or email RightToKnowLaw@phila.gov.

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records handles appeals if a request is denied. Most warrant records are not exempt from public disclosure. Active investigation details may be withheld temporarily, but the core warrant information is generally available.

Types of Philadelphia Warrants

Philadelphia County courts issue multiple types of warrants. Each serves a distinct legal function. The type of warrant affects how it is served and what happens after the person is taken into custody.

Arrest warrants are the most common type. A judge issues one when there is probable cause that a crime occurred. Under Pa.R.Crim.P. 150, the issuing authority reviews a written complaint and affidavit before signing the warrant. In Philadelphia County, these warrants cover crimes from minor offenses to serious felonies. The sheriff's Fugitive Warrant Unit and the police department's Fugitive Unit both serve arrest warrants.

Bench warrants come from the judge directly. They are issued when a person fails to appear in court or disobeys a court order. Under Pa.R.Crim.P. 513, probable cause documentation is required. Body attachments are similar and are used in family court matters like child support cases. Philadelphia County sees a high volume of bench warrants due to its large court caseload.

Note: Fugitive of justice warrants are used when a person wanted in another state is found in Philadelphia County. The sheriff's office holds the person until the requesting state arranges extradition.

Resolving Warrants in Philadelphia

Philadelphia County offers a clear path for people who want to resolve an active warrant. The sheriff's office encourages voluntary surrender. Call (215) 683-3726 to arrange this. A safe surrender protects you from the risks of an unexpected arrest at home, work, or in public. The Fugitive Warrant Unit handles these calls professionally and can walk you through the process.

Speaking with an attorney before surrendering is a good idea. A lawyer can review the charges, explain what will happen at your hearing, and may be able to negotiate bail terms in advance. The Philadelphia Bar Association offers a lawyer referral service. For bench warrants from missed court dates, an attorney can file a motion asking the judge to recall the warrant and schedule a new hearing. Courts in Philadelphia County grant these motions when circumstances warrant it.

City of Philadelphia

Philadelphia County is a consolidated city-county. All warrant records are handled through the same court and law enforcement systems. For city-specific information, visit the Philadelphia city page.

Nearby Counties

Philadelphia County shares borders with several other Pennsylvania counties. Warrants are county-specific. If you are searching for records, check the right county based on where the case was filed.

View All 67 Counties