Search Palm Coast Bench Warrants
Bench warrants in Palm Coast are issued through the Flagler County court system. Judges in the 7th Judicial Circuit sign bench warrants when a person misses a court date or does not follow a court order. Palm Coast is the largest city in Flagler County by a wide margin, but the county seat is Bunnell where the courthouse is located. The Flagler County Clerk of Court and the Flagler County Sheriff's Office both play a role in tracking and serving bench warrants. You can search for active bench warrants tied to Palm Coast through the clerk's records, the sheriff's office, or the FDLE statewide database. Here is how to find and deal with bench warrants in Palm Coast.
Palm Coast Quick Facts
Flagler County Clerk of Court
The Flagler County Clerk of Court keeps all court records for Palm Coast. The clerk's office is at 1769 E. Moody Blvd., Bldg. 1, Bunnell, FL 32110. You can call (386) 313-4400 for questions about bench warrants or court cases. The Flagler County Clerk website has court records access, forms, and public records request details. When a judge issues a bench warrant for a Palm Coast resident, it gets entered into the clerk's system right away.
Bunnell is just a short drive from Palm Coast, so getting to the courthouse is not hard for Palm Coast residents who need to handle bench warrant matters in person. The clerk can look up cases by name or case number. Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge must find probable cause before signing any warrant. That rule applies to all bench warrants in Palm Coast. Electronic signatures have been allowed since July 2013, and once the judge signs the bench warrant, it stays active in the system until something resolves it.
The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers portal is shown below and connects to clerk records statewide, including Flagler County court files for Palm Coast.
The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association links all 67 county clerk offices and helps share court data from Flagler County and every other Florida county.
Search Palm Coast Bench Warrants Online
You can search for bench warrants in Palm Coast through several channels. The Flagler County Clerk's website has court records access. You can also use the FDLE statewide database at fdle.state.fl.us to search for active warrants. The FDLE wanted persons search pulls data from all 67 Florida counties, including Flagler. It updates every 24 hours. Search by first name, last name, or date of birth. FDLE warns that the data should not be used to confirm a warrant is still active. Check with the local clerk or sheriff in Palm Coast to verify.
The Palm Coast Police Department is at 2 Commerce Blvd., Palm Coast, FL 32164. You can call (386) 986-2300. Local police handle enforcement in Palm Coast, but bench warrant service is mainly a county function. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office is at 901 E. Moody Blvd., Bunnell, FL 32110, and you can call (386) 313-4911. The sheriff's office serves bench warrants across Flagler County, including in Palm Coast.
Note: Palm Coast is the largest city in Flagler County with more than 106,000 people, but the courthouse and clerk's office are in nearby Bunnell.
Flagler County Sheriff Warrants
The Flagler County Sheriff's Office handles all warrant service in the county. That includes bench warrants for Palm Coast residents. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state can execute a Florida bench warrant. A warrant from Palm Coast can be served in any county in the state, on any day, at any hour. There are no time restrictions on serving bench warrants. This means a Palm Coast bench warrant can lead to an arrest during a routine traffic stop in Tampa, Miami, or anywhere else in Florida.
If you have a bench warrant in Palm Coast, your best option is to contact a criminal defense attorney. A lawyer who works in the 7th Judicial Circuit can review the specifics and may file a motion to quash the warrant. This brings you before the judge without going through the arrest and booking process. It is especially useful for older warrants or cases where the original charge was not serious. You can also turn yourself in at the Flagler County Jail to get the matter started.
Palm Coast Bench Warrant Penalties
Not showing up for court in Palm Coast leads to additional charges. Florida Statute 843.15 makes failure to appear a crime on its own. If the original case was a felony, missing court is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison. If it was a misdemeanor, failing to appear is a first-degree misdemeanor with up to one year in jail. These are separate charges on top of the original case. The bench warrant in Palm Coast adds to your legal situation rather than replacing anything.
Bench warrants in Palm Coast do not expire. There is no time limit on them. They stay active until the person is arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or the person dies. Search warrants are different. Under Florida Statute 933.05, a search warrant must be served within 10 days. But bench warrants have no such rule. A five-year-old bench warrant from Palm Coast is still live today. It comes up during any contact with law enforcement, at traffic stops, and through database checks.
Under Florida Statute 88.3051, the court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when someone does not appear after proper notice. This gives the court in Palm Coast multiple tools to bring a person in.
Clearing Palm Coast Bench Warrants
There are a few paths to resolve a bench warrant in Palm Coast. The best first step is to talk to a criminal defense attorney. A lawyer in Flagler County can review your case and file a motion to quash or recall the warrant. The judge then decides whether to cancel the warrant and schedule a new court date. This approach keeps you out of jail during the process and shows the court you are handling the issue on your own terms.
Ways to resolve a Palm Coast bench warrant:
- Hire a criminal defense attorney to file a motion to quash
- Turn yourself in at the Flagler County Jail
- Call the sheriff's office at (386) 313-4911
- Contact the clerk at (386) 313-4400 for case status
- Check the FDLE database online first to confirm the warrant
Be careful with phone scams. Real law enforcement in Palm Coast will never call and demand payment to clear a bench warrant. No gift cards, no wire transfers, no prepaid debit cards. If you get that kind of call, hang up. Call the Flagler County Clerk or Sheriff to verify. All bench warrants in Palm Coast are public records under Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119. Anyone can search for them without being part of the case.
Palm Coast Warrant Records
Bench warrants in Palm Coast are public records under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. The Sunshine Law keeps court records open. Once a bench warrant is filed with the Flagler County Clerk, anyone can ask to see it. Juvenile records and sealed cases have restrictions, but the majority of bench warrants in Palm Coast are open to the public. The eWarrants system links police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs statewide. A bench warrant from Palm Coast shows up in law enforcement databases used by agencies across Florida.
Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730, the clerk or the state attorney can prepare a direct capias to bring someone before the court. This tool is used in the 7th Judicial Circuit when a person misses sentencing or adjudication in a Palm Coast case. For records requests, contact the Flagler County Clerk at (386) 313-4400 or visit the office in Bunnell. The clerk can provide copies of bench warrant documents and other court records from Palm Coast cases.
Flagler County Bench Warrants
Palm Coast is in Flagler County, and all bench warrants go through the 7th Judicial Circuit Court based in Bunnell. Flagler County has about 137,000 residents in total. For more details on the county court system, warrant search tools, and other resources, visit the Flagler County bench warrants page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Palm Coast. Each has its own bench warrant search page with local court details.