Warrants are documents, usually put forth by a legal or governing body in order to do something whether it is for an arrest of an individual, to search a person or premises, or to carry out some other action relating to the administration of justice. This seems pretty straightforward as to what it is, but there are several types of warrants that we hope to explain today.


What Are The Main Types of Warrants?
The legal system uses many different types of warrants in the administration of justice and during investigations.
The most common types of warrants include arrest warrants, bench warrants, search warrants, fugitive warrants and alias warrants. Let’s explore the difference between these legal documents and what they mean for legal cases.
Arrest Warrants
An arrest warrant is the type of warrant that most of us think about when hearing the term warrant. This type of warrant means that a judge or a magistrate has ruled that there is probable cause that you were engaged in criminal activity or committed a criminal offense outside the presence of a police officer.
The arrest warrant authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual. Most often a law enforcement officer receives the warrant and must execute an arrest. The defendant will then appear in court with their attorney or one that was assigned to them. The court will then determine if the individual will be given bail, released on their own recognizance or remain in jail pending trial.
Search Warrants
Should law enforcement have probable cause to believe that evidence of a crime exists in a particular location, they may ask a judge or magistrate to issue a search warrant to search the premises.
This court order means that investigators may search an area defined in the warrant and seize anything that is deemed evidence in the case they are investigating. The locations and evidence potential must be specified in the court order.
Bench Warrant
This type of warrant is a court order that instructs law enforcement personnel to detain you and hold you in custody until you can be brought before a judge to answer for defying a court order. It could be issued for failure to appear in court or for breaking the conditions of probation.
Fugitive Warrant
This type of warrant is sent from one jurisdiction to another when a suspect is believed to be in local jurisdiction. The warrant means the other jurisdiction is looking to take the criminal into custody.
Alias Warrant
A judge may issue an alias warrant if a person has failed to appear before the court on a given date or failed to reply to a citation in person or by mail. Alias warrants usually arise if you violate your promise to appear in court for a matter. For instance, if you sign a speeding ticket stating you will fight the matter in court and are a no-show, you may have an alias warrant issued.