Learn exactly how to find out what someone is being charged with — free tools, official records, and step-by-step guidance for families.
When a loved one is arrested, one of the first questions that comes to mind is: "How can I found out what someone is being charged with?" The answer involves a combination of public records, online databases, court systems, and direct outreach — and knowing which path to take first can save you hours of frustration.
Check the County Jail's Online Inmate Roster First
The fastest starting point for most families is the county jail's own website. Most county jails in the United States maintain a publicly accessible inmate roster that is updated every few hours. These rosters typically list the person's full name, booking date, and the charges filed at the time of arrest.
Booking charges are not the same as the charges that will eventually appear in a formal criminal complaint or indictment. Prosecutors have the authority to add, drop, or modify charges after reviewing the initial police report. Still, the booking record gives you a factual foundation to work from right away.
To find the right roster, search for the name of the county followed by "jail inmate search" or "county jail inmate search." Most counties have a dedicated lookup page on their sheriff's or detention center's official website. Be cautious of third-party sites that mimic official pages — always confirm you are on a government domain ending in .gov or .us.
If the person was arrested within the last 24 to 48 hours, they may not yet appear in the online system. Booking processing can take several hours, and overnight arrests sometimes don't populate until the following morning. Calling the jail directly is the most reliable fallback when the online roster shows nothing.
Use the State Courts' Public Case Search Portal
Once a person is formally charged, a criminal case is opened in the county court system. Most states now provide a free online case search portal where you can look up pending charges by name or case number. This is where you will find the official charging document — typically called a criminal complaint, information, or indictment depending on the jurisdiction.
These court portals vary significantly in how current their data is. Some update in real time; others have a one- to three-day lag. The charges listed in the court system are the legally operative ones — meaning they reflect what the prosecutor has actually filed, which may differ from the initial booking charges.
To use a state court portal, search for "[state name] public court records" or "[state name] case lookup." Many states operate under a unified court system with a single statewide search tool, while others require you to search county by county. Knowing the county where the arrest occurred is essential before you begin.
If the charges involve a federal crime — such as drug trafficking across state lines, wire fraud, or immigration offenses — the case will be filed in federal district court rather than state court. The federal PACER system (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) allows searches for a small per-page fee, though many initial case records are free to view.
Contact the Arresting Agency Directly
The police department or sheriff's office that made the arrest maintains its own records. You can call their records division and ask for the arrest report associated with the booking. Arrest reports are public records in most states, although some jurisdictions require a formal records request or charge a small copying fee.
An arrest report will list the specific statute or statutes the person was charged under at the time of arrest. It also describes the alleged circumstances of the arrest, which can help you understand the context before speaking with an attorney. Keep in mind this is a police document — it reflects the officer's account and is not a finding of guilt.
Some agencies allow records requests to be submitted online or by email, which can be faster than showing up in person. Ask specifically for the "arrest report" or "incident report" and provide the full name and date of birth of the person involved. If you know the booking number, include that as well — it speeds up the process considerably.
Call the Jail's General Information Line
Many families overlook the simplest step: calling the jail and asking. Jails have information lines specifically for this purpose. Staff can confirm whether someone is in custody, what facility they are held at, and often can read the charges listed in the booking record.
You do not need to be a family member or an attorney to call the general information line. This information is public. Be prepared with the person's full legal name and date of birth. If the name is common, having an approximate age or a booking date will help the staff narrow the search.
Jails in larger counties can be busy, and hold times are common. Morning hours on weekdays tend to move faster than weekend evenings. If the first number you find doesn't connect to a live person, look for the main switchboard number on the official county website rather than a number found through a general internet search.
Search Through a Specialized Inmate Locator Service
Several organizations provide county jail inmate search tools that aggregate data from multiple jail systems at once. These tools are particularly useful when you are unsure which county or jurisdiction is holding someone, since a person can be transferred between facilities without notice.
InMato LLC is one such service, operating as an information, search, and referral service — not a bail bond company or legal service. InMato's free search covers 289 county jail systems across 14 states, allowing families to locate a loved one without paying anything upfront. The InMato app makes this process accessible on a phone, which matters when you are searching from a waiting room or on the road.
The search itself returns booking information, which typically includes the charges listed at the time of arrest. What makes InMato's approach distinct is that it connects families only to official, licensed providers for follow-on services — never to imitation or lookalike payment sites that can mishandle funds. InMato never touches your money; any deposits go directly through the official facility provider.
Other inmate locator services exist, and some charge fees for information that is freely available through official government sources. Before paying any third-party site for arrest or charge information, check whether the same data is available through the county jail's own website or the state court portal. Free options should always be your first step.
Look Up the Court Docket After the First Appearance
The first court appearance — often called an arraignment or initial appearance — is typically scheduled within 24 to 72 hours of arrest. At this hearing, the formal charges are read aloud in open court. If you can attend or find out the hearing date, you will hear the charges directly from the judge or prosecutor.
Court dockets are public records and are updated after each hearing. After the arraignment, the court docket for the case will reflect the official charges as filed. You can find the docket through the state's online case portal by searching the defendant's name. The docket will list every filing and hearing in chronological order.
If you cannot attend the hearing in person, a criminal defense attorney can often obtain this information quickly. Many public defenders' offices can also confirm the charges to an immediate family member when asked directly, though their capacity varies by county and caseload.
Request a Copy of the Charging Document
The charging document — whether it's called a criminal complaint, information, or indictment — is the official legal record of what someone is accused of. Once filed, this document becomes part of the public court record and can be obtained from the clerk of the court in the county where the case is pending.
Most clerks of court allow you to request copies in person, by mail, or increasingly through an online portal. There may be a small fee for certified copies, but plain copies are often free or inexpensive. The charging document will cite the specific criminal statutes the person is accused of violating, along with a brief factual summary of the alleged offense.
Reading a charging document without legal training can be confusing. Statutes are referenced by code number, and the language is formal. If you are trying to understand what the charges actually mean in practical terms — potential penalties, bail implications, next court dates — speaking with a criminal defense attorney is the most reliable way to get clarity.
Use the National Sex Offender Public Website and Mugshot Databases Carefully
Some families turn to third-party databases that aggregate booking photos, charges, and public criminal records. Sites like Mugshots.com, BustedNewspaper, and similar platforms pull from public arrest records and display them with the associated charges. These sites are legal in most jurisdictions because arrest records are public.
However, these databases have real limitations. They often lag behind court systems by days or weeks, meaning the charges shown may have already been modified or dropped. They also monetize removal requests, which raises ethical concerns. Use them as a starting point for orientation, not as a source of truth for legal purposes.
The National Sex Offender Public Website, maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice, is a legitimate resource for checking whether someone has a prior sex offense conviction — but it covers convictions, not pending charges. It will not tell you what someone is currently charged with.
Understand the Difference Between Charges and Convictions
One of the most important things to keep in mind while searching is that charges are allegations, not findings of guilt. An arrest results in charges; a conviction requires either a guilty plea or a verdict after trial. The distinction matters legally, ethically, and practically for the family.
Booking records and charging documents tell you what the government has accused someone of — not what has been proven. Charges can be reduced through plea negotiations, dismissed by the prosecutor, or acquitted by a jury. Knowing this helps families approach the situation with accuracy rather than panic.
Some third-party websites present arrest records in a way that blurs this distinction, which can be misleading. When reviewing any record, look for language like "charged with," "alleged," or "accused of" — these signal that no conviction has occurred. Language like "convicted of" or "pled guilty" indicates a final legal outcome.
Use InMato+ for Ongoing Case Tracking and Alerts
Once you have located a loved one and understand the initial charges, staying informed as the case progresses becomes the next challenge. Court dates shift, transfers happen without warning, and charges can change between hearings. Tracking all of this manually is exhausting.
InMato+ is designed for exactly this situation. At $19.99 per month per loved one — with no contract and self-service cancellation at any time — InMato+ provides jail booking-watch alerts, release and transfer alerts, court date alerts, and real-time case tracking with court-document summaries. Families receive notifications rather than having to check multiple systems repeatedly.
InMato also connects families to official, licensed bail bond agents and attorneys through its referral function, so you are not left searching the internet for providers when time is short. Because InMato is an information, search, and referral service and not a payment processor, the referral is the extent of InMato's role — the financial transactions happen directly between you and the provider.
For families who are not ready to upgrade, InMato Core is free with no time limit. The free search is genuinely useful on its own, covering jail location and booking information across 289 county jail systems. The Family Support Library, which includes 50 free guides in English and Spanish, addresses questions about the first 24 hours, commissary, phone calls, court processes, and life after release.
Reach Out to the Public Defender's Office
If your family member cannot afford a private attorney, they are constitutionally entitled to a public defender. The public defender assigned to the case will have full access to the charging documents, evidence, and any plea offers from the prosecution.
While public defenders are typically bound by attorney-client privilege and cannot share case details with family members without the client's consent, they can confirm the basic charges and the next court date. Calling the public defender's office and asking to leave a message for the attorney assigned to the case is a reasonable step.
Some families find it helpful to ask their incarcerated loved one to sign an authorization allowing the defense attorney to speak with designated family members. This keeps communication open without violating privilege and can make the coordination of bail, attorney resources, and court attendance much easier.
What to Do If You Cannot Find Any Record
Occasionally, a search turns up nothing — no jail roster entry, no court record, no arrest report. This can happen for several reasons. The person may have been arrested and released before processing was complete. They may be held under a different name or a middle name. The arrest may have occurred in a different county than expected.
If you know or strongly believe someone has been arrested but cannot find a record, call the most likely holding facility directly and ask whether anyone matching the description is in custody. You can also contact the non-emergency line of the local police department and ask for guidance on locating a recently arrested person.
In rare cases, a person may be held without a public record appearing, particularly in federal custody, immigration detention, or during the early hours of a high-profile investigation. An attorney — even one consulted briefly by phone — can often navigate these situations more quickly than a family member acting alone.
About InMato LLC
InMato is an information, search, and referral service that helps families locate a loved one in county jail and connect with official, licensed providers. Founded by J.T. Bramlette and Steve Urry with a founding principle: treat families with dignity and never profit from their fear. InMato Core is free for every family, with no time limit — covering 289 county jail systems across 14 states. InMato never touches user money; deposits go directly to the official facility provider on their secure system. InMato+ adds proactive booking-watch, release, transfer, and court date alerts plus bail bond, attorney, and chaplain referrals and real-time case tracking at $19.99/month per loved one, cancel anytime. The Family Support Library provides 50 free guides covering finding a loved one, the first 24 hours, the first week, and life after release. Available in English and Spanish. InMato LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, headquartered in Santa Barbara, California.
Get Started with InMato LLC
Search for your loved one now at inmato.com — free for every family, with no time limit. Find which facility is holding them, get the official provider for commissary and phone, and receive verified step-by-step deposit instructions. No account required to search. Available in English and Spanish.
Originally published at https://www.inmato.com/blog/how-can-i-found-out-what-someone-is-being-charged-with
Written by InMato
Looking for someone right now?
Search names for free in participating county jails. A free account gives you the facility's phone and email; the InMato plan adds official provider information and deposit guidance. Payments go directly to the provider.