Search Plantation Bench Warrants
Plantation bench warrants are processed through the Broward County court system in the 17th Judicial Circuit. If a judge in Broward County issues a bench warrant for a Plantation resident, it goes into the clerk's case system and the statewide FDLE database. The Plantation Police Department can serve these warrants at any time, and the Broward Sheriff's Office also has full authority to act on them. Searching for active bench warrants tied to Plantation cases is possible through the clerk's online portal or the state warrant search tool. This page covers how to check for and deal with bench warrants in Plantation.
Plantation Quick Facts
Broward County Clerk and Plantation Warrants
All bench warrants for Plantation cases go through the Broward County Clerk of Court. Brenda D. Forman is the clerk. The main office is at 201 SE 6th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. Hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can call (954) 831-6565 for case questions. If you live in Plantation and think you may have a bench warrant, the clerk's office is your first stop for case info. Staff can pull up your case by name or case number and tell you the status of any active bench warrant.
The Broward County Clerk of Court website has tools for online record searches. You do not need to drive to Fort Lauderdale to check on a Plantation bench warrant. The clerk also handles court records requests and can send you certified copies of warrant documents through the mail. Electronic certified court documents are sold through the clerk's portal too. Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge must find probable cause before signing any bench warrant, and these records become part of the public court file in Broward County.
Search Plantation Bench Warrants Online
The quickest way to look up a bench warrant in Plantation is through the Broward County online case search. The Broward County case search portal lets you search by party name, case number, citation number, or business name. You need a last name and first name to run a search. Results are capped at 200 records per query. This is a free tool. Case results show charge details, court dates, and whether a bench warrant is active or has been served. It covers all of Broward County, which means every Plantation case shows up here.
The FDLE statewide database is another way to find bench warrants tied to Plantation. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement runs a public access system at fdle.state.fl.us that pulls warrant data from all 67 Florida counties. Search by first name, last name, or date of birth. The database updates every 24 hours. Keep in mind that FDLE warns the data should not be used as proof that a warrant is active or as probable cause for arrest. It is a starting point for checking if a Plantation bench warrant exists in the system.
The FDLE homepage is shown below and provides access to the statewide warrant search tool.
Both the clerk search and the FDLE tool are free to use for Plantation residents and anyone else looking up public warrant records in Florida.
Note: New bench warrants from Plantation cases may take a day or two to appear in online search tools after a judge signs them.
Plantation Police and Warrant Service
The Plantation Police Department is at 451 NW 70th Terrace, Plantation, FL 33317. Call (954) 797-2100 for non-emergency questions. Plantation officers can serve bench warrants that come out of Broward County court. They work with the Broward Sheriff's Office on warrant sweeps and other enforcement actions. If you have a bench warrant and live in Plantation, local police may show up at your door. They can also pick you up during a traffic stop or any other contact with law enforcement.
The Broward Sheriff's Office also handles warrant service in Plantation. BSO's main office is at 2601 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312. The non-emergency line is (954) 764-4357. BSO directs most warrant questions to the Clerk of Courts website, so if you call asking about a specific bench warrant for a Plantation case, they will likely point you to the clerk's online tools. You can also file a public records request with BSO through their records request portal.
Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state can serve a bench warrant from Plantation. That means if you have a Broward County bench warrant and you are in Miami or Tampa, you can still be arrested. There is no safe zone. The warrant follows you across all 67 Florida counties and can even be picked up by out-of-state law enforcement through NCIC.
Bench Warrant Penalties in Plantation
Missing court in Plantation is serious. Under Florida Statute 843.15, failure to appear on a felony charge is a third-degree felony. That carries up to five years in prison. Failure to appear on a misdemeanor is a first-degree misdemeanor with up to one year in jail. These are new charges stacked on top of whatever the original case was about. The bench warrant is a separate legal problem from the case you missed court for in Plantation.
Bench warrants from Plantation do not expire. A warrant from last year or from ten years ago is still active right now. It will stay in the system until you get arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or you pass away. This is different from search warrants, which expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. Many people in Plantation find out about old bench warrants only when they get pulled over or have some other run-in with police. The warrant shows up on a background check every time.
Resolving Plantation Bench Warrants
If you find out you have a bench warrant in Plantation, talk to a lawyer before you do anything else. A criminal defense attorney can check your case in the Broward County system and figure out the best path forward. They may file a motion to quash or recall the warrant. This works best for older warrants or cases where the original charge was minor. Voluntary surrender at the Broward County jail typically leads to better outcomes than being picked up on the street by Plantation police.
Steps to deal with a bench warrant from Plantation include:
- Hire an attorney to file a motion to quash the warrant
- Turn yourself in at the Broward County main jail
- Call the clerk at (954) 831-6565 for your case status
- Check the online case search first to see what the warrant is for
- Contact a legal aid group if you cannot afford a lawyer
Watch out for phone scams. Real law enforcement in Plantation will never call and ask you to pay money to clear a bench warrant. No gift cards. No wire transfers. If someone calls demanding payment, hang up and call the Plantation Police Department at (954) 797-2100 to report it. Under Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119, bench warrant records in Plantation are public. Anyone can look them up through the clerk's office or online search tools.
Note: Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant when a person fails to appear after being given proper notice of a hearing in Broward County.
Plantation Warrant Records Access
Bench warrants in Plantation are public records under Florida law. The Sunshine Law makes most court records open to anyone who asks. You do not need to be part of the case. Once a bench warrant is issued and filed with the clerk, it is in the public court file for that Plantation case. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association connects all 67 county clerk offices and helps share warrant data across the state. The eWarrants system links police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs in Broward County and beyond.
Juvenile bench warrants have different rules. They are restricted under Florida law and do not show up in public searches. Sealed and expunged records also will not appear. But for most adult cases in Plantation, bench warrant records are wide open. You can get copies from the clerk by mail, in person at the Fort Lauderdale courthouse, or through the online portal. Under Rule 3.730 of the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, the clerk or state attorney can prepare a direct capias to bring someone before the court in Broward County for adjudication or sentencing.
Broward County Bench Warrants
Plantation is in Broward County, and all bench warrants flow through the Broward County court system in the 17th Judicial Circuit. The county handles cases for over 30 cities and towns, with Fort Lauderdale as the county seat. For full details on the Broward County court system, clerk office, sheriff, and all related resources, visit the Broward County bench warrants page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Plantation in the South Florida area. Each has its own page with local bench warrant information and resources.