Cape Coral Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Cape Coral are processed through the Lee County court system. The Lee County Clerk of Court and the Lee County Sheriff's Office handle all warrant records for Cape Coral residents. You can search for active bench warrants through the clerk's office, the sheriff, or the FDLE statewide database. Cape Coral sits in the 20th Judicial Circuit and has a population of about 233,000. Fort Myers is the county seat, and the main courthouse is there. All criminal court activity for Cape Coral goes through the Lee County system. Bench warrant records are public under Florida's Sunshine Law.

Lee County Clerk and Cape Coral Warrants

The Lee County Clerk of Court maintains all court records for Cape Coral. The main office is at 2115 Second St., Fort Myers, FL 33901. The phone number is (239) 533-5000. All bench warrants issued by judges in the 20th Judicial Circuit go through this clerk's office. Cape Coral does not have its own city criminal court. Every felony and misdemeanor case that results in a bench warrant for a Cape Coral resident runs through the Lee County court system in Fort Myers.

The clerk's office handles case filings, records storage, and public access to court documents. You can call the office to check on a specific bench warrant by name or case number. Staff can look up your case status and tell you if a bench warrant is active. The clerk also processes records requests by mail and in person. If you need official copies of court documents, contact the clerk's office directly for fees and procedures.

Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge issues a bench warrant when probable cause exists. In Cape Coral, the warrant goes into the Lee County clerk's system as soon as the judge signs it. Electronic signatures have been accepted since 2013. The clerk also handles direct capias warrants prepared under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730 to bring a defendant before the court for sentencing or adjudication.

Lee County Sheriff and Cape Coral Warrants

The Lee County Sheriff's Office serves bench warrants across the county, including Cape Coral. Sheriff Carmine Marceno heads the office. Their address is 14750 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy, Fort Myers, FL 33912. The phone number is (239) 477-1000. The sheriff's office is responsible for physically serving bench warrants and tracking wanted persons. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in Florida can serve a bench warrant from any county. A warrant from Cape Coral can be enforced in every corner of the state. Arrests can take place at any time on any day.

The Cape Coral Police Department is at 1100 Cultural Park Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33990. The phone number is (239) 574-3223. While the city PD does not issue bench warrants, officers enforce them during routine policing. If a Cape Coral officer runs your name and a bench warrant comes up, you will be arrested on the spot. The warrant does not have to be from Cape Coral or Lee County. Any active Florida bench warrant leads to an arrest.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website is shown below and connects all 67 county clerk offices, including Lee County.

The statewide clerk network shares bench warrant data across all Florida counties. The eWarrants system links law enforcement, courts, clerks, and state attorneys. A bench warrant from Lee County shows up in databases used by police and sheriffs throughout Florida.

Note: The Lee County Sheriff's Office works with the State Attorney's Office and Tax Collector on related matters, so bench warrant data may cross multiple county agencies.

Cape Coral Bench Warrant Penalties

Missing court in Cape Coral leads to real consequences. Under Florida Statute 843.15, failure to appear on a felony charge is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. Failure to appear on a misdemeanor is a first-degree misdemeanor, which carries up to one year in jail. These are brand new charges on top of the original case. The bench warrant creates a separate legal problem that must be addressed on its own.

Bench warrants in Cape Coral never expire. They remain active until the person is arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or the subject dies. It does not matter how old the warrant is. A bench warrant from five or ten years ago in Cape Coral is still valid and enforceable today. Compare that to search warrants, which expire after just 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. Bench warrants have no such time limit. Any police contact in Florida can result in your arrest if an active bench warrant from Cape Coral is in the system.

Resolving Cape Coral Bench Warrants

If you have a bench warrant in Cape Coral, hire a criminal defense attorney first. A lawyer can review the case, assess the charges, and advise on the smartest approach. Some attorneys file a motion to quash or recall the warrant, which tends to work well for old cases or minor charges. Voluntary surrender is almost always better than getting arrested during a traffic stop or at a routine checkpoint.

Options for resolving a bench warrant in Cape Coral:

• Hire an attorney to file a motion to quash
• Turn yourself in at the Lee County Jail
• Call the sheriff at (239) 477-1000 for warrant details
• Contact the clerk at (239) 533-5000 for case status

Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when someone does not appear after proper notice. All bench warrant records in Cape Coral are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, the Sunshine Law. Anyone can request them. You do not need to be part of the case. The FDLE wanted persons database at fdle.state.fl.us pulls data from all 67 Florida counties every 24 hours, including Lee County bench warrants.

Cape Coral Warrant Records Access

All bench warrants in Cape Coral are public records under Florida's Sunshine Law. Chapter 119 gives everyone the right to access court records. You do not need to be a party to the case. Juvenile records and sealed cases have restrictions, but most bench warrants in Cape Coral are fully accessible to the public. The FDLE statewide system is updated every 24 hours and includes bench warrants, arrest warrants, capias warrants, and violation of probation warrants from all 67 counties.

Cape Coral has grown rapidly. The city now has over 233,000 residents. That population growth means more court cases and more bench warrants in the Lee County system each year. If you think you have an active bench warrant in Cape Coral, check through the Lee County Clerk, the sheriff, or the FDLE database. Taking care of it now is always better than waiting for an arrest.

Lee County Bench Warrants

Cape Coral is part of Lee County in the 20th Judicial Circuit. All bench warrants in the city flow through the Lee County court system. For more details on the county clerk, sheriff, and court resources, see the Lee County bench warrants page.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Cape Coral. Each has its own county court system for bench warrants. Make sure you search the correct jurisdiction.