Search Lauderhill Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Lauderhill are processed through the Broward County court system in the 17th Judicial Circuit. Lauderhill sits in the central part of Broward County, just west of Fort Lauderdale. All court cases from the city go through the Broward County Clerk of Court. If you miss a court date or break a court order in Lauderhill, the judge can issue a bench warrant. These warrants stay active until resolved. You can look up Lauderhill bench warrants through the Broward Clerk's online case search, the Broward Sheriff's Office, or the FDLE statewide wanted persons database. These are public records under Florida's Sunshine Law.

Lauderhill Warrants at Broward Clerk

The Broward County Clerk of Court manages all bench warrant records for Lauderhill. Brenda D. Forman is the clerk. The main office is at 201 SE 6th Street in Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Phone: (954) 831-6565. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All Lauderhill cases go through this office. The clerk keeps case files, warrant records, hearing dates, and court documents. You can ask about a bench warrant by providing a name or case number.

The clerk also handles public records requests for Lauderhill bench warrant documents. Court records requests can be made online through the clerk's website. Electronic certified court documents are available for purchase. Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge has to find probable cause before signing a bench warrant. In Lauderhill cases, the judges of the 17th Judicial Circuit issue these warrants. The warrant becomes active the moment the judge signs it and goes straight into the clerk's system.

Note: All Lauderhill bench warrants are managed at the county level through the Broward County Clerk of Court in Fort Lauderdale.

Search Lauderhill Bench Warrants Online

Broward County provides a public case search tool for looking up bench warrants from Lauderhill. The Broward Clerk case search lets you search by party name, case number, citation number, or business name. You need to enter a last name and first name. Results are capped at 200 entries. The search is free. It shows the charge, case status, and warrant details for all cases in the 17th Judicial Circuit, including every Lauderhill case.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association connects all 67 county clerk offices. The screenshot below shows their website, which provides links to county-level search tools across the state.

This statewide network helps share bench warrant data between counties. The eWarrants system links police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs across Florida. A Lauderhill bench warrant enters this network and shows up in databases used by law enforcement statewide.

You can also check the FDLE database at fdle.state.fl.us for Lauderhill warrants. FDLE pulls warrant data from all 67 counties and updates every 24 hours. Search by name or date of birth. The system covers bench warrants, arrest warrants, violation of probation warrants, and fugitive warrants. FDLE says this data should not be used as confirmation that any warrant is active, so always follow up with the Broward County Clerk for the most current status on Lauderhill cases.

Broward Sheriff and Lauderhill Warrants

The Broward County Sheriff's Office serves bench warrants in Lauderhill. Their main office is at 2601 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. Non-emergency line: (954) 764-4357. Main office: (954) 831-8901. BSO directs warrant inquiries to the Clerk of Courts website. For records requests, you can use the BSO online records portal.

The Lauderhill Police Department is at 6279 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderhill, FL 33313. Phone: (954) 497-4700. Local police can make arrests on active bench warrants during routine patrol, traffic stops, or any other encounter. If a Lauderhill officer runs your name and an active bench warrant shows up, you can be arrested right there. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any law enforcement officer in the state can serve a Lauderhill bench warrant. The arrest can happen in any county, any day, any time.

Lauderhill Bench Warrant Penalties

Missing court in Lauderhill results in a bench warrant and possibly new criminal charges. Florida Statute 843.15 makes failure to appear a standalone offense. Skipping court on a felony charge is a third-degree felony with up to five years in prison. Skipping on a misdemeanor is a first-degree misdemeanor carrying up to one year in jail. These penalties are separate from the original charge. The bench warrant compounds your legal situation. You now face the original case plus the new failure to appear charge, and the bench warrant has to be dealt with on its own.

Bench warrants in Lauderhill never expire. Search warrants have a 10-day window under Florida Statute 933.05, but bench warrants are open-ended. A warrant from any year is still valid. It stays in the system and flags during any police contact. You cannot outrun a bench warrant. It will surface eventually. The only way to clear it is through the Broward County court system.

Note: Even old Lauderhill bench warrants remain fully enforceable and can lead to arrest during routine law enforcement encounters.

Resolving Lauderhill Bench Warrants

Get a lawyer before you try to deal with a Lauderhill bench warrant. An attorney can check your case, see the warrant, and plan the best way forward. Filing a motion to quash asks the judge to cancel the warrant. This is most useful for older cases or minor charges. Voluntary surrender at the Broward County Jail is usually better than being arrested at a bad time. You can also contact the Lauderhill Police Department to ask about the process for turning yourself in locally.

Steps to address a Lauderhill bench warrant:

• Hire a criminal defense attorney to file a motion to quash
• Surrender at the Broward County Jail
• Call BSO at (954) 764-4357
• Contact the clerk at (954) 831-6565 for case info
• Reach Lauderhill Police at (954) 497-4700

Scam calls are common. No real law enforcement officer in Lauderhill will call and ask for money to clear a bench warrant. Gift cards and wire transfers are never part of the legal process. If you get that kind of call, hang up. Call the clerk or sheriff directly to verify. Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment for failure to appear after notice. Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730 allows the clerk or state attorney to prepare a direct capias to bring someone to court in Lauderhill cases. All bench warrant records are public under the Sunshine Law, Chapter 119.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Lauderhill in Broward County. All use the same 17th Judicial Circuit, so bench warrants from any of these cities go through the Broward County Clerk.