Lakewood Warrant Records
Lakewood warrant records come from the Los Angeles County Superior Court and are kept by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. This city of about 80,000 people has warrants issued for missed court dates, unpaid fines, and criminal charges. You can look up warrant info through the county sheriff or by going to a local station. Most warrants stay on file until you deal with them. The county keeps all warrants in one system that covers Lakewood and the rest of Los Angeles County. Anyone who thinks they may have a warrant should check before it leads to an arrest.
Lakewood Quick Facts
Check for Warrants in Lakewood
Lakewood gets law services from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The Sheriff has a contract with the city. All warrant data for Lakewood goes to the Sheriff Records and ID Bureau. That office is in Norwalk at 12440 East Imperial Highway. You can go there and ask if you have a warrant. Bring a photo ID. If you search for your own warrant, staff will tell you if one is active. They do not share warrant info about other people unless you are law enforcement.
You can also visit the Lakewood Sheriff Station at 5130 North Clark Avenue in Lakewood. Station hours are posted online. Go to the front desk and ask for a warrant check on yourself. You must show ID. If you have a warrant with low bail or a traffic bench warrant, the station may help you set a court date. For larger warrants, you may need to post bail or turn yourself in. The station staff can tell you what to do next.
Los Angeles County does not have an online public warrant search. You must check in person or call the Sheriff. The Sheriff Records line is (562) 345-4441. They may or may not give info on the phone. It is best to go in person with your ID. Some people call the court that issued the warrant. The Los Angeles Superior Court has a case lookup tool at their site, but it does not show all warrants. Only the Sheriff has the full list for Lakewood.
Note: If you have a felony warrant, you may be arrested when you check, so talk to a lawyer first.
Lakewood Court Warrants
The Los Angeles County Superior Court issues warrants for Lakewood cases. The Norwalk courthouse handles cases for this area. It is at 12720 Norwalk Boulevard in Norwalk. That court hears all types of cases, from traffic to felonies. When you miss a court date or fail to pay a fine, the judge can issue a bench warrant. Most bench warrants in Lakewood come from traffic or misdemeanor cases.
If you were told to appear in court and did not show up, a warrant goes on your record right away. The court sends the warrant to the Sheriff, who adds it to the county system. Under California Penal Code Section 978.5, the court may issue a bench warrant if you do not appear as ordered. That law is at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Once the warrant is in the system, any officer who stops you can arrest you.
For arrest warrants, the process is different. A prosecutor files a complaint with the court and asks for a warrant. The judge reviews the case and may sign the warrant. That type of warrant comes from new charges, not from a missed court date. Arrest warrants in Lakewood are also kept by the Sheriff and stay active until you are arrested or the case is dropped.
The Norwalk courthouse has a criminal clerk who can look up your case. Call (562) 807-7266 to ask about your court date or warrant status. The clerk does not clear warrants. You must appear in court or post bail to deal with a warrant issued by the Norwalk court for Lakewood.
Types of Warrants in Lakewood
Lakewood has two main types of warrants. Bench warrants and arrest warrants. A bench warrant means you missed court. An arrest warrant means new charges were filed. Both types are active until you take care of them. The county keeps all warrants on file with no time limit in most cases.
Bench warrants are the most common in Lakewood. They happen when you skip a hearing or do not pay a fine. Traffic cases lead to many bench warrants here. Under California Vehicle Code Section 40508, it is a crime to fail to appear on a traffic charge. You can read that law at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. A bench warrant for traffic can have bail as low as a few hundred dollars, or it may say no bail. If there is no bail, you must see a judge before you get out of custody.
Arrest warrants come from new criminal charges. A detective or prosecutor asks the court for a warrant. The judge signs it if there is enough reason to think you did a crime. Arrest warrants in Lakewood can be for anything from theft to assault to drug charges. These warrants usually have higher bail than bench warrants. The Sheriff adds arrest warrants to the same system as bench warrants, so both types show up when an officer runs your name.
Some warrants in Lakewood are from other cities or counties. If you had a case in another part of California and missed court, that warrant follows you. Los Angeles County officers can arrest you on out-of-county warrants. The county may hold you until the other county picks you up. This can take days or weeks, so it is best to clear warrants before you are stopped.
What to Do if You Have a Warrant
If you find out you have a warrant in Lakewood, you have a few options. You can turn yourself in, post bail, or see a lawyer. Each choice has pros and cons. The best move depends on the type of warrant and how much bail is set. Do not ignore a warrant. It will not go away, and you risk arrest any time you are stopped by police.
Turning yourself in means you go to the Lakewood Sheriff Station or the court and say you have a warrant. Bring your ID. If the warrant is for a minor issue, the court may just set a new date. If it is serious or has high bail, you may be booked into jail. Some people call the court first to ask if they can clear the warrant without being arrested. The Norwalk courthouse can tell you what to do for bench warrants. Call (562) 807-7266 to ask.
Posting bail is another option. If your warrant has a bail amount, you can pay it and get a court date. Bail can be cash, bond, or property in some cases. Most people use a bail bond agent if the amount is high. The agent charges a fee, usually 10 percent of the bail. Once bail is posted, the warrant is lifted and you must go to court on the new date. If you skip that date, you lose the bail and get a new warrant.
Talking to a lawyer is a good idea if your warrant is for a felony or if you are not sure what to do. A lawyer can contact the court for you and may be able to set a hearing without you being arrested. Some lawyers in Lakewood handle warrant cases and know how the Norwalk court works. Legal aid groups may help if you have low income. The Los Angeles County Public Defender is at pubdef.lacounty.gov if you qualify for free help.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Records
The Los Angeles County Sheriff runs law enforcement for Lakewood under a contract with the city. The Sheriff Records and Identification Bureau handles all records, including warrants. That bureau is at 12440 East Imperial Highway, Suite 400 West, in Norwalk. Hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You can go there to request a warrant check or get a copy of a report. Call (562) 345-4441 for more info.
The bureau can do a criminal history check if you need one for a job or license. That service costs money. They also give out clearance letters that show you have no warrants. If you need proof that you do not have a warrant in Los Angeles County, you can ask for a clearance letter. Bring ID and be ready to pay the fee. The bureau website is at lasd.org and has FAQs about records and warrants.
If you were arrested in Lakewood, your arrest record is also kept by the Sheriff. You can ask for a copy of your arrest report at the same bureau. Some people need that report for court or to clear up errors. The Sheriff also has booking photos and fingerprints on file. All of these records are part of the county system, not just for Lakewood but for all contract cities in Los Angeles County.
Legal Help in Lakewood
Lakewood residents can get legal help from several sources. If you have a warrant and low income, you may qualify for free help from a public defender or legal aid group. If you can pay, there are many private lawyers who handle warrant and criminal cases in this area. The Los Angeles County Bar has a referral line that can match you with a lawyer near Lakewood.
The Los Angeles County Public Defender represents people who are charged with crimes and cannot afford a lawyer. If you are arrested on a warrant, the court may appoint a public defender for you. You do not choose your lawyer in that case. The court decides if you qualify based on your income. More info is at pubdef.lacounty.gov. You can also call their office to ask about getting help before you turn yourself in on a warrant.
Legal aid groups in Los Angeles County include Bet Tzedek Legal Services and the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. These groups help people with low income on certain types of cases. They do not handle all criminal cases, but they may be able to give advice or refer you to someone who can help. Bet Tzedek is at bettzedek.org and the Legal Aid Foundation is at lafla.org. Both have offices in Los Angeles County that serve Lakewood residents.
If you need to find a private lawyer, the Los Angeles County Bar Association has a lawyer referral service. Call (213) 243-1525 or visit lacba.org. The service can connect you with a lawyer who handles warrants and criminal defense. The first meeting may cost a small fee. You can also search online for lawyers near Lakewood who focus on clearing warrants and handling court cases in the Norwalk courthouse.
Los Angeles County Warrants
Lakewood is part of Los Angeles County. All warrant records for this city go through the county sheriff and court system. For more on how warrants work across the county, fees, court locations, and related resources, visit the Los Angeles County warrant records page.