Jacksonville Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Jacksonville are handled through the Duval County court system. Jacksonville has a consolidated city-county government, so the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the Duval County Clerk of Court both play key roles in tracking and serving warrants. If you want to search for an active bench warrant in Jacksonville, you can check through the clerk's online portal, the sheriff's public records unit, or the statewide FDLE database. All of these are public records under Florida law. Over one million people live in Jacksonville, making it the largest city in Florida by population. That size means a high volume of court cases and warrants move through the system each year.

Duval County Clerk and Jacksonville Warrants

The Duval County Clerk of Court keeps all court records for Jacksonville. The clerk's main office is at 501 W. Adams St., Jacksonville, FL 32202. You can call (904) 255-1000 for help. Because Jacksonville and Duval County share a consolidated government, there is no separate city court. All bench warrants in Jacksonville go through the Duval County Circuit Court in the 4th Judicial Circuit. The clerk's office files and stores every warrant that a judge issues. Staff can look up a bench warrant by name or case number if you call or visit in person.

The clerk runs an online search tool called CORE. The Clerk Online Resource ePortal lets you search court records from home. You need to accept a user agreement first and then pick "Public Access" to get started. Search by name, case number, or date. The system shows case type, charges, and warrant status. It is free to use. Not all new warrants show up right away. The database gets updated on a regular cycle, so a brand new bench warrant in Jacksonville may take a day or so to appear.

Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge can issue a bench warrant when there is probable cause. In Jacksonville, these warrants go into the clerk's system as soon as the judge signs them. Electronic signatures have been allowed since July 2013. The clerk also stores direct capias warrants, which a clerk or state attorney can prepare under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730 to bring someone before the court for sentencing.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Warrants

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is the main law enforcement agency for all of Duval County. Their office is at 501 E. Bay St., Jacksonville, FL 32202. The non-emergency line is (904) 630-0500. For public records, call (904) 630-2209. The JSO handles the service of bench warrants across Jacksonville. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state can serve a bench warrant. That means a Jacksonville warrant can lead to arrest in any Florida county, and warrants from other counties can be served in Jacksonville too.

The JSO Public Records Unit takes requests by mail or in person. Send requests to Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Attn: Public Records Unit, 501 E. Bay St., Jacksonville, FL 32202. You can also use the JSO online public records portal. Arrests can happen any day and at any time. There are no limits on when an officer can act on an active bench warrant in Jacksonville.

The FDLE website at fdle.state.fl.us is shown below and gives access to the statewide wanted persons database that includes Jacksonville bench warrants.

The FDLE database pulls warrant data from all 67 Florida counties, including Duval. It gets updated every 24 hours. You can search by first name, last name, or date of birth. The system includes bench warrants, arrest warrants, capias warrants, and violation of probation warrants for Jacksonville and all of Florida.

Note: The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has warned that impostors contact residents claiming they have a warrant and demand money. Real law enforcement will never ask for payment by phone.

Jacksonville Bench Warrant Penalties

Missing court in Jacksonville leads to real problems. Under Florida Statute 843.15, failure to appear on a felony charge is a third-degree felony. That can mean 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 new charges on top of whatever you were in court for in the first place. A bench warrant is separate from the original case. It adds to your legal trouble.

Bench warrants in Jacksonville do not expire. A warrant from ten years ago is still active right now. It stays in the system until the person is arrested, the judge recalls it, or the subject is deceased. This is different from search warrants, which expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. If you have a bench warrant in Jacksonville, it will show up anytime you have contact with law enforcement. Traffic stops, license checks, and even routine police encounters can lead to an arrest on the spot.

Resolving Bench Warrants in Jacksonville

If you find out you have a bench warrant in Jacksonville, talk to a lawyer first. A criminal defense attorney can check your case and help you figure out the best way to handle it. Lawyers can sometimes file a motion to quash or recall the warrant. This works best for old cases or minor charges. Turning yourself in on your own terms often leads to better outcomes than getting picked up on the street.

To resolve a bench warrant in Jacksonville, you can:

• Hire an attorney to file a motion to quash the warrant
• Turn yourself in at the Duval County Jail
• Contact the JSO non-emergency line at (904) 630-0500
• Call the clerk's office at (904) 255-1000 for case status
• Check the CORE portal for your case details

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. This applies to Jacksonville cases in the 4th Judicial Circuit. Bench warrant records in Jacksonville are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, which is the Sunshine Law. Anyone can look them up. You do not need to be a party to the case.

Jacksonville Warrant Records Access

All bench warrants in Jacksonville are public records. Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119, makes sure of that. Once a return of service is filed, the warrant becomes part of the court record. Anyone can ask to see it. There are some limits for juvenile cases and sealed records, but most bench warrants in Jacksonville are open for public search. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association connects all 67 county clerk offices across the state. Their eWarrants system links police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs in Jacksonville and all of Florida.

The consolidated government in Jacksonville means one clerk office and one sheriff handle everything for the entire county. There is no confusion about which jurisdiction to call. If you have a bench warrant that came from a Jacksonville court, the Duval County Clerk has the records. For warrants issued by a different county but tied to a Jacksonville address, check with that county's clerk or use the FDLE statewide search.

Note: Bench warrants in Jacksonville stay active in the system until resolved, and they can be served by any law enforcement officer in Florida at any time.

Duval County Bench Warrants

Jacksonville is part of Duval County with a consolidated government. All bench warrant activity in the city runs through the Duval County court system in the 4th Judicial Circuit. For more details on the county clerk, sheriff, and court resources, visit the full Duval County bench warrants page.

Nearby Cities

These Florida cities are near Jacksonville. Each city's bench warrants are handled through their own county court system. Make sure you search the right county.