Search Fort Lauderdale Bench Warrants
Fort Lauderdale bench warrants are filed in the Broward County court system under the 17th Judicial Circuit. Fort Lauderdale is the county seat, and the main courthouse is right in the city. If you need to check for a bench warrant tied to a Fort Lauderdale case, the Broward County Clerk of Court runs a free online case search. The Broward Sheriff's Office and the FDLE database are also good places to look. Bench warrants in Fort Lauderdale are public records under the Sunshine Law. This guide covers how to search for and deal with bench warrants here.
Fort Lauderdale Quick Facts
Broward Clerk and Fort Lauderdale Warrants
The Broward County Clerk of Court manages all case files for Fort Lauderdale. Brenda D. Forman serves as the clerk. The main office is at 201 SE 6th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Phone is (954) 831-6565. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Broward County Clerk website has links to court records, forms, and public records request tools. If you want to ask about a specific bench warrant in Fort Lauderdale, the clerk staff can help by name or case number.
The Broward Clerk runs a free public case search at browardclerk.org/web2. You search by party name, case number, citation number, or business name. Last name and first name are required for a name search. Results are capped at the first 200 entries. The system shows case details, charge info, and warrant status. If a bench warrant was issued for a Fort Lauderdale case, it will show up in this search. You can also request court records and buy electronic certified court documents through the clerk's online portal.
Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge must find probable cause before issuing a bench warrant in Fort Lauderdale. Once a 17th Circuit judge signs the warrant, the clerk enters it into the system. Electronic signatures have been allowed since July 2013. Bench warrants for Fort Lauderdale cases are in the Broward clerk system from the moment they are signed.
Fort Lauderdale Warrant Searches
The Broward Sheriff's Office handles warrant service for Fort Lauderdale and all of Broward County. BSO is at 2601 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. The non-emergency number is (954) 764-4357. The main office line is (954) 831-8901. BSO directs most warrant questions to the Clerk of Courts website for case lookups. The Broward Sheriff website has an arrest search and a public records portal. You can request records through their online records request page.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is at 1300 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. Phone is (954) 764-4357. While the sheriff runs the warrants system for the county, Fort Lauderdale police officers will arrest people on active bench warrants during routine work. A traffic stop, a call for service, or any contact with law enforcement can lead to an arrest if you have a bench warrant in Fort Lauderdale. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any officer in the state can serve a bench warrant at any time.
The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers page below links all 67 county clerk offices and shows how the statewide warrant systems connect.
The eWarrants system ties together police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs across Florida. A bench warrant from Fort Lauderdale shows up in law enforcement databases statewide.
Bench Warrant Penalties in Fort Lauderdale
Skipping court in Fort Lauderdale leads to real trouble. Under Florida Statute 843.15, failure to appear on a felony charge is a third-degree felony. That means up to five years in prison. Failure to appear on a misdemeanor is a first-degree misdemeanor, which can bring up to one year in jail. These charges stack on top of your original case. The bench warrant itself is a whole new problem on top of what you were already facing in Fort Lauderdale.
Bench warrants in Fort Lauderdale never expire. They stay active until you are arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or the subject passes away. Search warrants are different. They expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. But a bench warrant from Fort Lauderdale that is five or ten years old is still valid. It will flag you during any law enforcement check in any county across Florida.
Resolving Fort Lauderdale Bench Warrants
If you learn you have a bench warrant in Fort Lauderdale, talk to a lawyer first. A criminal defense attorney can review your case and advise on the best path forward. They can file a motion to quash or recall the warrant in the 17th Circuit. For old cases or minor charges, a motion to quash often works well. Voluntary surrender tends to go better than getting picked up during a random stop. You can turn yourself in at the Broward County Jail at any time, day or night.
Steps to take if you have a Fort Lauderdale bench warrant:
- Get a lawyer to file a motion to quash
- Turn yourself in at the Broward County Jail
- Call the Broward Clerk at (954) 831-6565 for case status
- Search the clerk case database online
- Check the FDLE database at fdle.state.fl.us
Watch out for scam calls. No real officer in Fort Lauderdale will call and ask for payment to clear a bench warrant. No gift cards. No wire transfers. If you get a call like that, hang up and call the clerk or BSO directly. Under Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119, all bench warrant records in Fort Lauderdale are public. Anyone can search them. Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when someone fails to appear after proper notice in Fort Lauderdale.
Note: Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730, the clerk or the state attorney can prepare a direct capias to bring a person before the court in Broward County.
Broward County Bench Warrants
Fort Lauderdale is the county seat of Broward County. All bench warrants go through the Broward County court system and the 17th Judicial Circuit. Broward County has over 2 million residents and handles a large volume of cases. For the full county court system details, sheriff info, and more resources, visit the Broward County bench warrants page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Fort Lauderdale. Each has its own page with bench warrant info and local court details.