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Outstanding warrants from Massachusetts are directives for arrests that have yet to be served. There can be as many reasons for the non-execution of an arrest warrant as there can be for the release of these orders. For instance, while cases that involve heinous crimes such as murder, rape and the like are given top priority, matters which are linked to petty misdemeanors are understandably put on the back burner.

The criminal procedure of Massachusetts is the set of processes prescribed within the legal code of the state that deals with the handling of offenses committed by adults. While most of the steps in the procedure are the same as those followed in other states, there are subtle differences that can change the direction in which a case heads. So, here is a look at how criminals and their indiscretions are dealt with.

Crime history information including details on arrest records and outstanding warrants can be found through the Crime Justice Information Service of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security. The division collects crime related data from all justice agencies within the state and acts as a link between local, federal and out of state law enforcement agencies, offering criminal records 24/7 through secure national access.

The judiciary of Massachusetts has been divided across three levels: the Supreme Judicial Court which is the governing, apex judicial entity in the state, the appeal courts and the trial courts that handle the bulk of all civil and criminal matters entering the legal machinery of the area. The tribunals on every rung have their own distinctive set of powers and jurisdiction.

Massachusetts active warrants are issued on the basis of probable cause. In fact, even when arrests are made without warrants, the police have to send case related information to the judiciary, so that the magistrate may decide if the law enforcement agency has enough proof to hold the accused guilty of a criminal act and hence commit him to custodial detention.