Search Miami Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Miami are processed through the Miami-Dade County court system. The Miami-Dade Clerk of Court and the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office handle warrant records for the city. You can search for active bench warrants in Miami using the clerk's online case search, the sheriff's records unit, or the FDLE statewide wanted persons database. Miami has a population of about 487,000, but Miami-Dade County as a whole has over 2.8 million residents. That means the court system processes a large number of cases and warrants each year. All bench warrant records in Miami are public under Florida's Sunshine Law.

Miami-Dade Clerk and Miami Warrants

The Miami-Dade Clerk of Court and Comptroller maintains all court records for Miami. Juan Fernandez-Barquin, Esq. serves as clerk. The main office is at 20 NW 1st Avenue, Miami, Florida 33128. You can call (305) 275-1155 for questions. All bench warrants issued by judges in the 11th Judicial Circuit go through this clerk's office. Miami does not have its own city court for criminal matters. Everything runs through the county system.

The clerk runs a Criminal Justice Online Case Search at miamidadeclerk.gov/cjis. You can search by case number, state case number, citation number, defendant name, or jail number. The system shows charges, case status, and warrant information. It is free to use from any computer. For official copies of records, you can send a request by mail to Records Management, Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court, P.O Box 14695, Miami, FL 33101. You can also email cocpubreq@miamidadeclerk.gov. Search fees for official records run $1.00 per unit.

Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge issues a bench warrant when probable cause exists and someone has failed to appear or broken a court order. In Miami, the clerk logs the warrant as soon as the judge signs it. Electronic signatures have been valid since 2013.

Miami-Dade Sheriff and Bench Warrants

The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office serves bench warrants across the county, including all of Miami. Their main office is at 9105 NW 25th Street, Doral, FL 33172. The phone number is (305) 471-3220. You can fax requests to (305) 471-2072 or email recordsrequest@mdso.com. The records request counter is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-ins are not allowed. You need an appointment.

Under Florida Statute 901.04, bench warrants are directed to all sheriffs in the state. A bench warrant from Miami can be served by any sheriff in any Florida county. The arrest can happen at any time on any day. There are no restrictions. If you have a bench warrant out of Miami-Dade, you could get picked up anywhere in the state.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers portal is shown below and connects all 67 county clerk offices, including Miami-Dade.

The statewide clerk network helps share bench warrant data across all Florida counties. The eWarrants system links police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs. A bench warrant filed in Miami shows up in databases used by law enforcement throughout the state.

Note: The Miami-Dade Sheriff's records counter requires an appointment, so call ahead before going in person.

Miami Police Department Warrants

The City of Miami Police Department is at 400 NW 2nd Ave., Miami, FL 33128. The main phone number is (305) 579-6111. While the Miami PD handles local policing, bench warrants are a county court matter. The police department does not issue bench warrants. Judges do. However, Miami police officers can and do arrest people with active bench warrants during traffic stops, calls for service, and other encounters. If a Miami officer runs your name and a bench warrant comes up, you will be arrested on the spot.

For warrant verification, the Miami PD will often point you to the Miami-Dade Clerk's online case search or the sheriff's office. The city police department does not maintain its own public warrant database. The FDLE statewide system at fdle.state.fl.us is another option. It pulls warrant data from all 67 Florida counties every 24 hours.

Miami Bench Warrant Penalties

Failure to appear in Miami carries harsh penalties. Under Florida Statute 843.15, skipping court 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. That carries up to one year in jail. These are new charges added on top of the original case. The bench warrant itself is separate from whatever brought you to court in the first place.

Bench warrants in Miami do not expire. They stay active until the person is arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or the person is deceased. A five-year-old warrant is just as active as one issued yesterday. This is different from search warrants, which expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. If you have an active bench warrant in Miami, it will come up during any law enforcement contact. Traffic stops, license renewals, and routine checks can all trigger an arrest.

Resolving Miami Bench Warrants

Talk to a lawyer before you do anything about a bench warrant in Miami. A criminal defense attorney can review your case and advise on the best path. Some attorneys can file a motion to quash or recall the warrant. This tends to work better with old cases or minor charges. Voluntary surrender almost always leads to better results than an unexpected arrest.

Steps you can take to address a bench warrant in Miami:

• Hire a defense attorney to file a motion to quash
• Turn yourself in at the Miami-Dade County Jail
• Call the clerk at (305) 275-1155 for case information
• Contact the sheriff at (305) 471-3220 for warrant details

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 in Miami-Dade County. Bench warrant records are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. Anyone can look them up. You do not need to be involved in the case. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730, the clerk or state attorney can prepare a direct capias to bring a person before the court.

Miami-Dade County Bench Warrants

Miami is the county seat of Miami-Dade County. All bench warrants in the city go through the 11th Judicial Circuit Court. For more on the county clerk, sheriff, court resources, and surrounding cities, see the full Miami-Dade County bench warrants page.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Miami. Bench warrants in each city go through their county court system. Check the right county before taking action.