Warrant records are public in Franklin County, Arkansas, pursuant to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), codified at Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-101 et seq. This legislation establishes the public's right to access government records, including warrant information, with certain statutory exceptions. The Arkansas FOIA operates under the presumption that government records shall be open to public inspection unless specifically exempted by law.
In Franklin County, warrant records are maintained by multiple agencies including the Franklin County Sheriff's Office and the Circuit Court Clerk. These records remain accessible to members of the public unless sealed by judicial order or protected under specific exemptions outlined in Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105, such as those involving ongoing investigations or juvenile matters. Public access to these records serves to maintain transparency in the judicial system and enables citizens to remain informed about law enforcement activities within the county.
The Arkansas Supreme Court has consistently upheld the public's right to access judicial records, including warrants, as established in Arkansas Department of Human Services v. Cole (2011), which reinforced the presumption of openness in government proceedings and records.
Warrant records maintained by Franklin County authorities typically contain the following information as required by Arkansas Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 7.2:
Pursuant to Arkansas law, certain sensitive information may be redacted from public copies of warrant records, including Social Security numbers, financial account information, and information related to confidential informants as specified in Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105(b).
Members of the public may verify warrant status in Franklin County through several no-cost methods established under Arkansas public records laws:
Individuals seeking warrant information should be prepared to provide identifying information such as full name and date of birth to facilitate accurate record retrieval. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office may be contacted by telephone at (479) 667-4127 for preliminary information regarding warrant search procedures.
Sheriff warrants in Franklin County are official documents issued pursuant to Arkansas Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 7.1 by a judicial officer authorizing law enforcement to take specific actions. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office, as the primary law enforcement agency for the county, maintains and executes these warrants in accordance with state law.
Sheriff warrants in Franklin County fall into several categories:
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office processes and maintains these warrants in their records management system. Warrant execution is prioritized based on severity of the alleged offense and public safety considerations. The Sheriff's Office coordinates with other law enforcement agencies within and outside the county to apprehend individuals with active warrants.
As of 2025, individuals seeking to determine warrant status in Franklin County have multiple verification methods available pursuant to Arkansas public records laws:
Individuals should be prepared to provide proper identification when making inquiries. Under Arkansas law, providing false identification information to law enforcement officials constitutes a Class A misdemeanor pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 5-54-125.
Verification of outstanding warrants in Franklin County may be accomplished through several official channels in accordance with Arkansas public records statutes:
Pursuant to Arkansas Freedom of Information Act provisions, requestors seeking warrant information must provide sufficient identifying information to enable accurate record retrieval. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office maintains a dedicated public information officer who can be reached at (479) 667-4127 to assist with warrant verification procedures.