Warrants in eCourtDate let your agency create, route for approval, and track arrest, search, and seizure warrants from issuance through service. Electronic signature workflows, status tracking, and automated notifications keep judges, officers, and stakeholders informed at every stage.

### Overview

The Warrants feature gives your agency a structured digital process for issuing and managing warrants. Instead of relying on paper forms and manual tracking, you can create warrant records, collect electronic signatures from judges and officers, monitor execution status in real time, and send automated notifications when warrants are issued or served.

- **What it does:** Creates and manages arrest, search, and seizure warrants with full detail, signature routing, and status tracking.
- **Why it matters:** Eliminates paper-based delays, reduces errors, and ensures every warrant is traceable from request through service.
- **Who uses it:** Court clerks, judges, law enforcement officers, agency administrators, and attorneys.
- **Expected outcomes:** A complete, auditable warrant lifecycle with electronic signatures, real-time status visibility, and automatic notifications to relevant parties.

### Prerequisites

Before you begin issuing warrants, make sure you have:

- An active eCourtDate account with the **Admin**, **Officer**, or **Clerk** role
- At least one case record created in the system (warrants must be linked to a case)
- Judge profiles configured under **Admin** > **Settings** > **Judges** (see [How to Manage Judges](/how-to-manage-judges))
- Notification templates set up for warrant-related alerts under **Admin** > **Messaging**
- Electronic signature permissions enabled for judges and officers in your agency settings

### How-To Steps

#### Step 1: Navigate to the Warrants Section

1. Click on **Cases** in the top navigation bar.
2. Use the **Search Cases** form to locate the case that requires a warrant.
3. Click the **Edit** button next to the case.
4. Select the **Warrants** tab on the case detail page.

#### Step 2: Create a New Warrant

1. Click the **Create Warrant** button in the left column.
2. Select the **Warrant Type** from the dropdown: **Arrest**, **Search**, or **Seizure**.
3. Enter the **Warrant Title** with a clear description (for example, "Arrest Warrant for Failure to Appear").
4. Enter the **Subject Name**, which is the individual or property the warrant pertains to.
5. Select the **Priority** level: **Routine**, **Urgent**, or **Emergency**.
6. Enter the **Statute Citation** referencing the legal authority for the warrant.
7. Use the **Description** field to provide the probable cause statement, supporting facts, and any special instructions for executing officers.
8. Select the **Judge** from the dropdown to assign the warrant for judicial review.
9. Click **Create** to save the warrant record.

#### Step 3: Route the Warrant for Electronic Signatures

1. From the warrant detail page, locate the **Signatures** section.
2. Click **Request Signature** to send the warrant to the assigned judge for review and approval.
3. The judge receives a notification with a link to review the warrant details.
4. Once the judge signs electronically, the warrant status updates to **Signed**.
5. To add an officer's signature (for service acknowledgment), click **Request Signature** again and select the executing officer.
6. Both signatures, along with timestamps and IP addresses, are recorded in the warrant's audit trail.

#### Step 4: Issue the Warrant

1. After the judge's signature is captured, click the **Issue** button on the warrant detail page.
2. Confirm the issuance date and time.
3. The warrant status changes to **Issued**.
4. If automated notifications are enabled, the system sends alerts to the assigned officers, the client's attorney (if applicable), and other designated recipients.

#### Step 5: Track Warrant Execution and Service

1. When an officer serves the warrant, open the warrant record.
2. Click the **Update Status** button and select **Served**.
3. Enter the **Service Date**, **Service Time**, and **Service Location**.
4. Optionally, enter the **Serving Officer** name if different from the assigned officer.
5. Attach any supporting documents (such as a return of service form) using the **Files** section.
6. Click **Save** to update the record. The status changes to **Served** and notifications are sent to designated parties.

#### Step 6: Search and Filter Warrants

1. Click on **Cases** in the top navigation bar.
2. Select the **Warrants** tab to view all warrant records across your agency.
3. Use the available filters to narrow results by **Warrant Type**, **Status**, **Judge**, **Date Range**, or **Priority**.
4. Click **Search** to display matching records.
5. Click **Edit** next to any warrant to view full details, update status, or download documents.

### What to Expect

After creating and issuing a warrant, the record is immediately visible in the case's **Warrants** tab and the agency-wide warrants list. The warrant status progresses through a clear lifecycle: **Draft**, **Pending Signature**, **Signed**, **Issued**, **Served**, or **Recalled**. Each status change is timestamped and logged in the audit trail. Electronic signatures are captured with the signer's name, timestamp, and IP address. Automated notifications reach designated recipients within minutes of each status change.

### Best Practices

- **Complete all warrant details before requesting a judge's signature** to avoid delays and revision cycles.
- **Use the priority field consistently** so officers can triage warrants effectively, especially when managing a high volume.
- **Attach probable cause documentation** directly to the warrant record to keep all supporting evidence in one place.
- **Enable automated notifications** for issuance and service events so all stakeholders stay informed without manual follow-up.
- **Review outstanding warrants weekly** using the status filters to identify warrants that have not been served and take appropriate action.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Can I recall a warrant after it has been issued?**
A: Yes. Open the warrant record, click **Update Status**, and select **Recalled**. Enter a reason for the recall in the **Description** field and click **Save**. The recall is recorded in the audit trail and notifications are sent to relevant parties.

**Q: What warrant types are available?**
A: eCourtDate supports **Arrest**, **Search**, and **Seizure** warrants. Each type follows the same creation and approval workflow but may include different fields depending on your agency's configuration.

**Q: Can multiple judges sign the same warrant?**
A: Typically, one judge signs a warrant. However, you can request additional signatures if your jurisdiction requires co-authorization. Each signature is recorded independently with its own timestamp.

**Q: How do I know when a warrant has been served?**
A: The warrant status changes to **Served** when the executing officer updates the record. If notifications are enabled, you receive an alert automatically. You can also monitor the **Warrants** tab and filter by **Status** to see all served warrants.

**Q: Can I attach files to a warrant record?**
A: Yes. Use the **Files** section on the warrant detail page to upload affidavits, return of service forms, photographs, or any other supporting documentation. Files are stored securely and accessible to authorized users.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** Judge does not receive the signature request notification.
**Symptoms:** The warrant status remains at **Pending Signature** and the judge reports no notification.
**Solution:**

1. Verify the judge's profile has a valid email address under **Admin** > **Settings** > **Judges**.
2. Confirm the notification template for signature requests is active under **Admin** > **Messaging**.
3. Check the **Messages** page to see if the notification was queued or encountered a delivery error.
4. Ask the judge to check spam or junk mail folders.
5. If the issue persists, resend the signature request from the warrant detail page.

**Issue:** Warrant status does not update after officer marks it as served.
**Symptoms:** The status still shows **Issued** even though the officer clicked **Save**.
**Solution:**

1. Refresh the page and check if the status updated.
2. Confirm the officer has the correct role permissions to update warrant records.
3. Verify the officer entered all required fields (service date, time, and location).
4. If the issue persists, have an admin user update the status manually and review the audit trail for errors.

> **Important:** If you continue to experience issues after following these troubleshooting steps, sign in to eCourtDate and create a ticket by clicking the ticket button in the bottom right corner of the screen.

### Related Articles

- [How to Manage Cases](/how-to-manage-cases)
- [How to Track Violations and Case Compliance](/how-to-track-violations-and-case-compliance)
- [How to Manage Judges](/how-to-manage-judges)
- [How to Manage Clients](/how-to-manage-clients)
- [How to Check the Audit Logs](/how-to-check-the-audit-logs)