Tallahassee Bench Warrants
Bench warrants in Tallahassee are handled through the Leon County court system and the 2nd Judicial Circuit. As the state capital, Tallahassee has both the Leon County Sheriff's Office and the Tallahassee Police Department working to serve active warrants. If you need to search for bench warrants in Tallahassee, the Leon County Clerk of Court and the FDLE statewide database are the two main tools. All bench warrant records in Tallahassee are public under Florida's Sunshine Law. This page walks through how to find, check, and resolve bench warrants in Tallahassee.
Tallahassee Quick Facts
Leon County Clerk and Tallahassee Warrants
The Leon County Clerk of Court keeps all case files for Tallahassee, and that includes bench warrants. The main clerk office is at 301 S. Monroe Street, Suite 100, Tallahassee, FL 32301. You can call 850.606.4000 for general questions about bench warrants or court cases. The Leon County Clerk website has a free case search system. You can look up bench warrants by name or case number. The search shows whether a warrant is outstanding or has been served. Civil and criminal case records are both in the system. This is the fastest free way to check for bench warrants tied to Tallahassee cases.
The clerk also runs a branch office at the Northeast Branch, 1276 Metropolitan Blvd., Room 101, Tallahassee, FL 32312. A second location sits at the Government Annex, 315 Calhoun St, 7th Floor. Both handle court records and can pull up bench warrant details for Tallahassee residents. The main office does most of the heavy lifting on case files, but you can get help at any location during business hours.
Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge must find probable cause before issuing a bench warrant. In Tallahassee, once a judge in the 2nd Judicial Circuit signs a bench warrant, the clerk enters it into the system right away. Electronic signatures have been allowed since July 2013. The clerk's records for Leon County go back many years, so even older bench warrants from Tallahassee will show up in a search.
Tallahassee Warrant Searches
The Leon County Sheriff's Office has a warrants unit that handles bench warrant service for Tallahassee and the rest of Leon County. The warrants unit is at 535 Appleyard Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32304, and you can reach them at (850) 606-3500. The Leon County Sheriff warrants page lists open warrants for 1st and 2nd degree felonies. The main sheriff office sits at 2825 Major James Morgan Jr. Way, Tallahassee, FL 32304. The general line is (850) 606-3300. If you want to check on a bench warrant status in Tallahassee, calling the warrants unit is a direct option.
The FDLE statewide database at fdle.state.fl.us also lets you search for bench warrants in Tallahassee. The database pulls warrant data from all 67 Florida counties, including Leon. It gets updated every 24 hours. Search by first name, last name, or date of birth. The system shows arrest warrants, bench warrants for failure to appear, direct capias warrants, and violation of probation warrants for Tallahassee residents.
The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association links all 67 county clerk offices together. The eWarrants system connects police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs across the state. A bench warrant from Tallahassee will show up in systems used by law enforcement all over Florida.
Tallahassee Police and Bench Warrants
The Tallahassee Police Department also plays a role in serving bench warrants within city limits. TPD is at 234 E 7th Ave, Tallahassee, FL 32303. The phone number is 850.691.4221. While the sheriff's office handles most warrant service for Leon County, Tallahassee police officers can and do arrest people on active bench warrants during traffic stops, calls for service, or other encounters. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any law enforcement officer in the state can serve a bench warrant. That means a Tallahassee bench warrant can lead to an arrest in any Florida county.
The FDLE homepage below gives access to warrant search tools and the statewide wanted persons database for Tallahassee and all Florida cities.
FDLE warns that the database should not be used as proof that a warrant is active. It is a reference tool. Always call the Leon County Clerk or the warrants unit to confirm a bench warrant is still outstanding in Tallahassee before taking any action.
Bench Warrant Penalties in Tallahassee
Missing court in Tallahassee has serious results. 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 added on top of the original case. The bench warrant is a separate matter from what you were in court for in the first place in Tallahassee.
Bench warrants in Tallahassee do not expire. They stay active until the person is arrested, a judge recalls the warrant, or the subject is deceased. This is different from search warrants, which expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. A bench warrant from years ago in Tallahassee is still active today. It will come up if you get pulled over, have any run-in with police, or deal with the court system anywhere in the state.
Note: Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when a person does not appear after proper notice in Tallahassee.
Resolving Tallahassee Bench Warrants
If you find out you have a bench warrant in Tallahassee, the best first step is to talk with a lawyer. A criminal defense attorney can look at the details of your case and help you plan the best way to deal with it. They may be able to file a motion to quash or recall the bench warrant, especially for older cases or minor charges. Voluntarily turning yourself in often leads to better results than getting picked up on the street. The Leon County Jail accepts voluntary surrenders around the clock.
To resolve a bench warrant in Tallahassee, you can:
- Hire a lawyer to file a motion to quash the warrant
- Turn yourself in at the Leon County Jail
- Call the warrants unit at (850) 606-3500
- Contact the clerk at 850.606.4000 for case info
- Check the FDLE database for warrant details
Be careful with phone scams. Real law enforcement in Tallahassee will never ask you to pay over the phone to clear a bench warrant. No gift cards, no wire transfers. If someone calls and says you owe money to clear a warrant, hang up. Call the clerk or the sheriff's non-emergency line to check. Under Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119, bench warrant records in Tallahassee are public. Anyone can look them up. 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 for sentencing in Leon County.
Leon County Bench Warrants
Tallahassee is the county seat of Leon County, and all bench warrants go through the Leon County court system and the 2nd Judicial Circuit. The county handles cases for all cities and towns in the area, with Tallahassee being the largest. For more on the county court system, the sheriff's warrants unit, and other resources, visit the Leon County bench warrants page.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Tallahassee. Each has its own page with local bench warrant info, court details, and search options.