Search Alaska Bench Warrants
Alaska bench warrants are court orders that judges issue when a person fails to appear, skips a fine, or breaks a court rule. You can look up active Alaska bench warrants through the state trooper warrant database, the CourtView case system, and local police records. Each borough and city in Alaska holds its own warrant files, and the state keeps a daily list of open warrants. This page shows you how to search Alaska bench warrants, where to check first, and which office to call if your name shows up on a list.
Alaska Bench Warrants Overview
Alaska DPS Active Bench Warrants Database
The Alaska Department of Public Safety runs a public active warrants database through the Alaska State Troopers. It lists open warrants that the Alaska Court System has issued in AST cases. You can pull up the list as a PDF or a CSV file. The database is updated each day, so new Alaska bench warrants show up fast.
Each entry on the Alaska warrants list gives the full name, age, and a gender code. It also shows the bail amount, the charge, the warrant type (felony or misdemeanor), and the court order number. The Alaska State Troopers warn the public in plain text: "DO NOT TAKE THE LAW INTO YOUR OWN HANDS BY ATTEMPTING TO APPREHEND OR DETAIN THESE INDIVIDUALS." Every warrant must first be confirmed in the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN) before an arrest is made.
You can reach the AST warrants unit at warrants@dps.state.ak.us or call (907) 269-5511. The main office is at 5700 East Tudor Road in Anchorage. If your name is on the list, Alaska law enforcement suggests you report to any local police or trooper post to turn yourself in. If bail can't be posted, you will see a judge within 24 hours for your first hearing.
Visit the AST hot sheets page to pull the latest Alaska bench warrants list.
The DPS page makes it clear that every listed person is "presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty." The Alaska bench warrants shown there are only AST cases, so you may also need to check municipal warrant lists in Anchorage, Juneau, or Fairbanks for other open cases.
Note: A hit on the Alaska DPS warrant list is not proof of guilt. Always confirm a warrant with the court clerk or local police before you act on it.
Search Alaska Bench Warrants on CourtView
The Alaska Court System runs CourtView, a free public portal for trial court cases. You can search by party name, case number, or ticket number. CourtView covers criminal cases, civil cases, small claims, domestic relations, and child support. Alaska bench warrants tied to open cases often show up in the docket entries for that case.
CourtView records mostly start in 1990. Pre-1990 cases were kept on paper index cards, so for an older bench warrant you may have to call the court clerk where the case was first filed. The Alaska Court System also notes that "a search of court case records on this website is NOT a criminal history records check of a person." For a full criminal history, use the DPS Records and Identification Bureau.
CourtView does not show juvenile cases, mental health commitments, sealed files, or records with confidential identifiers. It will show case numbers, docket info, charges, filings, motions, hearing dates, court orders, and outcomes. If a judge issued a bench warrant in the case, the docket line for that warrant will appear in the entry list.
- Search by first and last name of the party
- Use a case number or ticket number if you have one
- Check both Trial Courts and Appellate Courts
- Read the docket entries for any "Warrant" line
Requesting Alaska Bench Warrant Records
To get copies of Alaska bench warrants and related case files, you contact the Alaska Trial Courts records office at the court where the case was filed. The court uses a set of TF-311 forms, one for each region. Anchorage, Saint Paul Island, and Sand Point use Form TF-311 ANCH. Fairbanks uses Form TF-311 FBKS. Palmer uses Form TF-311 PA. Every other location uses the plain Form TF-311.
Court copy fees in Alaska are set by rule. A plain copy of the first document is $5.00, with each added document at $3.00. Certified copies cost $10.00 for the first and $3.00 for each added copy at the same time. Exemplified or authenticated copies are $15.00 each. Research by the clerk costs $30.00 per hour. Audio recordings from a court hearing cost $20.00 per CD.
For search warrant records, Alaska uses Form CR-714. The form asks for the case number, the date the warrant was issued, and the judge's name. You check a box for the type of document you want: the warrant itself, the application or affidavit, the inventory, the return, or all of them. Under Criminal Rule 37(e), search warrant records stay sealed until the warrant is named in a charging document or a prosecutor's notice.
The Valdez court can take 4 to 6 weeks to process records requests due to staffing. Other courts vary. Online requests in Fairbanks take about 4 to 6 weeks, while in-person visits are handled same day. Palmer online requests run 2 to 4 weeks.
Alaska Bench Warrant Laws and Rules
Alaska warrant law sits in the Alaska Statutes and the Alaska Rules of Criminal Procedure. The key rule for issuing a bench warrant is Rule 4 of the Alaska Rules of Criminal Procedure. Rule 4 says a warrant or summons can go out only when there is probable cause to believe a crime has been committed and the named person did it. The court must issue a summons instead of a warrant, unless the judge finds that arrest is needed to make sure the defendant shows up or to keep the public safe.
Under Alaska Statute 12.30.060, a bench warrant may be issued when a person fails to appear as ordered or breaks the terms of their release. Failure to appear for a traffic ticket, a fine hearing, or a court date is the top reason for an Alaska bench warrant. The statute does not put a time limit on warrants. An Alaska warrant stays active until it is served or recalled by the court that issued it.
AS 12.25.030 lets a peace officer make a warrantless arrest for a crime that happens in their presence, a felony not in their presence when there is cause, or a domestic violence violation. AS 12.35 covers search and seizure warrants. A search warrant must be executed within 10 days of issue. AS 12.62.160 lets anyone ask for a name-based criminal record check for $20, or a fingerprint check for $35. Juvenile records are protected under AS 47.12.300 and do not appear on public Alaska warrant lists.
The Alaska Constitution, Article I, Section 14, guards against unreasonable searches and seizures. It requires warrants to rest on probable cause. The Alaska Court System access rule (Administrative Rule 37.5) sets the baseline that court records are open to the public unless a specific rule or court order seals them.
Warrants Do Not Expire: An Alaska bench warrant stays open until a judge recalls it or a peace officer serves it. Time alone will not clear a warrant. To resolve one, use a motion to quash or surrender to the court.
How to Resolve an Alaska Bench Warrant
If a bench warrant in Alaska has your name on it, you have a few ways to resolve it. The Alaska Court System lists these steps on its self-help criminal page. Some warrants can be cleared just by paying the fine or appearing in court. Others need a formal motion.
The court uses Form CR-330 for a Motion to Quash Warrant and Form CR-331 for the order on that motion. A judge can recall a bench warrant if the reason behind it is fixed, such as the fine being paid or the missed hearing being rescheduled. For many small cases, Alaska warrants can be resolved by paying online through the court's payment system. For larger cases, the court suggests you talk to an attorney before you go in.
Options to clear an Alaska bench warrant:
- Turn yourself in at a local police post or trooper office
- Post bail at the jail or court to get released
- File a motion to quash the warrant with the issuing court
- Appear at the next court date and ask the judge to recall
- Pay fines online for minor warrants
Alaska Legal Services Corporation may help low-income people with Alaska warrant matters. The court does not give legal advice but will tell you how to file the right form. The Alaska Department of Law Criminal Division handles prosecutions and may weigh in on a warrant recall if the case is state-level.
The Department of Law has four regional offices. Anchorage covers the Third Judicial District. Fairbanks covers the Fourth. Juneau covers the First. Nome covers the Second. Prosecutors review warrant applications and work with troopers on warrant execution.
Alaska State Troopers and Warrant Detachments
The Alaska State Troopers handle most bench warrants outside of city limits. AST is split into five detachments that cover the state. A Detachment covers Southeast Alaska from Ketchikan, Juneau, and Sitka. B Detachment covers Southcentral Alaska from Palmer, Glennallen, and Valdez. C Detachment covers Kodiak Island and the western coast from Kodiak and Dillingham. D Detachment covers the Interior from Fairbanks, Cantwell, Coldfoot, and Healy. E Detachment covers the north from Nome, Kotzebue, and Utqiaġvik (Barrow).
Each detachment keeps its own warrant list for AST cases, but everything feeds into the statewide AST warrant database. Village Public Safety Officers (VPSOs) in rural Alaska help serve warrants in remote areas where there is no full police post. In cities like Anchorage, the local police department serves most warrants and passes along AST cases as needed.
The DPS Records and Identification Bureau handles criminal history checks. A name-based search costs $20. A fingerprint search costs $35. The R&I Bureau does not give warrant info on its own. For Alaska warrants, you still go to the AST active warrants database, the court, or the local police.
Are Alaska Bench Warrants Public Records
Yes. Most Alaska warrant records are public under the Alaska Public Records Act, AS 40.25.110 to 40.25.125. Court records are also public under Administrative Rule 37.5. Anyone can ask for a copy at the court clerk's window, and no reason is needed. Juvenile records, mental health records, and sealed files are the main exceptions.
Sealed warrants stay out of public view. A warrant in an active investigation may be held back until it is served. Search warrants under Criminal Rule 37(e) stay sealed until they are named in a charging document. Personal identifiers like Social Security numbers and bank account numbers are redacted from public Alaska bench warrant filings.
Most Alaska bench warrants are open to the public. Juvenile cases, sealed cases, and active search warrants may be restricted.
Browse Alaska Bench Warrants by Borough
Alaska is divided into 30 boroughs and census areas. Each one handles bench warrants through the local court and the local police or trooper post. Pick a borough below to find the court phone, clerk office, and local warrant info.
Bench Warrants in Major Alaska Cities
City police departments in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and other Alaska cities keep their own warrant lists for local cases. Pick a city below to find local warrant search info.