Tempe City Court Warrants

Bench warrants in Tempe come from Municipal Court at 140 E. Fifth Street serving around 181,000 residents including many ASU students. When you miss court or violate orders, the judge issues a warrant. Tempe offers Walk-in Docket Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 11:30 AM and a Compliance Assistance Program (CAP). Online case status lookup at courtcaseinfo.tempe.gov/ lets you check warrants. Warrants authorize Tempe Police to arrest you during traffic stops. While Busted Mugshots shows old booking photos, it won't tell you about Walk-in Docket or CAP. Call the court at 480-350-8271 for real info.

Tempe Municipal Court

Tempe Municipal Court is at 140 E. Fifth Street, Tempe, Arizona 85281. Phone is 480-350-8271. Email is court-web@tempe.gov. The court website at tempe.gov/government/city-court has information about court services and programs. Court hours are Monday through Friday during business hours. The court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and city code violations within Tempe city limits.

Tempe is home to Arizona State University and has a large student population along with permanent residents. The Municipal Court handles thousands of cases annually including many from students who get in trouble and then leave town, ending up with warrants when they miss court. The court has a warrant page at tempe.gov/government/city-court/arrest-warrants that explains how bench warrants work and what you need to do to resolve them.

The court also offers an online case status lookup at https://courtcaseinfo.tempe.gov/. You can check your cases by name or case number. The system shows case details including whether warrants were issued. This helps you verify your status before you contact the court or appear in person.

Walk-in Docket

Tempe Municipal Court offers Walk-in Docket Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 11:30 AM. This program lets you appear voluntarily to address warrants without scheduling an appointment ahead of time. Just show up at court during Walk-in Docket hours. Check in with court staff. They'll get you in front of a judge that morning. The judge will address your warrant and the underlying case. You might be able to post bond. You might get a new court date. You might be able to work out payment arrangements for fines. Walk-in Docket makes it easy to deal with warrants on your own terms without getting arrested first. You don't need to call ahead. You don't need an appointment. You just show up during the designated hours and the court will see you. This beats waiting until police pick you up during a traffic stop and you end up in jail. Self-surrender through Walk-in Docket shows the judge you're taking responsibility. That usually helps your case.

Note: Bring ID and be prepared to wait as Walk-in Docket can be busy depending on the day.

Compliance Assistance Program (CAP)

Tempe Municipal Court operates a Compliance Assistance Program to help people who have difficulty meeting court requirements. If you have a warrant because you can't afford to pay fines or can't comply with other court orders, CAP might help. The program works with you to figure out a manageable plan. You might be able to set up payment plans. You might be able to do community service instead of paying cash. You might be able to get the warrant cleared without going through arrest and jail. CAP is designed to help people resolve their cases instead of just punishing them for being unable to comply. If you have a warrant in Tempe and you're struggling to deal with it because of financial or other difficulties, ask about the Compliance Assistance Program. Call the court at 480-350-8271 and tell them you want information about CAP. They'll explain how it works and whether you might qualify. Not everyone qualifies, but if you do, it can make a big difference in resolving your warrant without impossible burdens.

The CAP program shows Tempe takes a practical approach to helping people resolve cases rather than just making problems worse with more fees and jail time people can't handle.

How Tempe Warrants Work

A Tempe bench warrant starts when you miss court or violate an order. The judge signs the warrant. Court staff enters it into the system. Tempe Police can see it right away. Any contact with law enforcement can result in arrest. You get pulled over for a traffic violation. Officer runs your license. Warrant pops up. You get arrested on the spot. The officer has to arrest you once they see a valid warrant. You'll be taken to jail. You'll sit there until you can see a judge. That could be the same day if it's during court hours, or it could be longer if you get arrested at night or on weekends. Once you see a judge, you'll deal with the warrant and the underlying case. The judge will set bond or release you on your own promise to appear. If you can't post bond, you stay in jail until your case is resolved. Walk-in Docket and self-surrender prevent this scenario. You show up voluntarily during Walk-in Docket hours. You see a judge that morning. You avoid arrest and jail completely in many cases.

Warrants stay active indefinitely. They don't expire. An old warrant is just as valid as a new one. Don't think time makes it go away. It doesn't.

Online Case Status

Tempe offers an online case status lookup at https://courtcaseinfo.tempe.gov/. You can check your cases by name or case number. The system shows case details including charges, court dates, and whether warrants were issued. This tool is free and public. No registration required. If you find a warrant in your case, write down the case number and details. You'll need that when you appear at Walk-in Docket or call the court. The online lookup helps you verify your status before you take action. Knowing exactly what you're dealing with makes the resolution process smoother.

The case status system updates regularly but might not show brand new warrants immediately. For the most current information, call the court at 480-350-8271.

Maricopa County Resources

Tempe is in Maricopa County. The county offers a free online warrant lookup at mcso.org/i-want-to/warrant-lookup. This searches for warrants throughout the county including Tempe Municipal Court warrants. For felony cases, check with Maricopa County Superior Court. Cities handle misdemeanors. The county handles felonies.

Statewide Search Tools

Arizona provides free statewide warrant search tools. The DPS Warrant Search at https://www.azdps.gov/warrant-search checks the criminal justice database. Enter your name and birth date. The system shows up to five warrants if any exist. Arizona Public Access at https://apps.azcourts.gov/publicaccess/caselookup.aspx covers 153+ courts. Both are free.

Resolving Your Warrant

You clear a Tempe warrant by using Walk-in Docket or calling the court. Walk-in Docket runs Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 11:30 AM. Just show up at 140 E. Fifth Street. Check in. See a judge that morning. If Walk-in Docket doesn't work for you, call the court at 480-350-8271. Ask about the Compliance Assistance Program if you're having trouble meeting court requirements. They'll explain your options.

Self-surrender through Walk-in Docket is better than getting arrested. You control when it happens. You can bring bail money. The judge sees you're being responsible. That usually helps. If you wait for police to pick you up, it happens on their schedule. You might get arrested at work or in front of family.

Get legal help if possible. An attorney knows how Tempe Municipal Court works. They can advise you on the best approach. They can appear with you at Walk-in Docket. They can negotiate. Legal representation costs money but often gets better results.