Tampa Bench Warrant Lookup

Bench warrants in Tampa are managed through the Hillsborough County court system. The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office both handle warrant records for Tampa residents. You can look up active bench warrants in Tampa through the clerk's HOVER search tool, the sheriff's office, or the FDLE statewide wanted persons database. Tampa is the county seat of Hillsborough County and sits in the 13th Judicial Circuit. With over 414,000 people living in the city, the courts handle a steady stream of cases. All bench warrant records are public under Florida's Sunshine Law.

Hillsborough Clerk and Tampa Warrants

The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court and Comptroller handles all court records for Tampa. Victor D. Crist serves as clerk. The main office is at 419 Pierce St., Tampa, FL 33602. All bench warrants issued by judges in the 13th Judicial Circuit go through this office. Tampa is the county seat, so the main courthouse is right in the city. The clerk logs each bench warrant as soon as a judge signs it.

The clerk runs a system called HOVER for online court record searches. You can access it at hover.hillsclerk.com. Search by case number, party name, or citation number. The tool shows case details, charges, and warrant status. It is free and open to the public. The clerk also has a separate official records search at publicaccess.hillsclerk.com and a court hearing lookup tool at hover.hillsclerk.com/courtDateLookup. For office hours and branch locations, check the clerk's service locations page.

Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge can issue a bench warrant when there is probable cause and someone has failed to comply with a court order. In Tampa, these warrants are entered into the clerk's system right away. The HOVER database gets updated on a regular basis, but brand new bench warrants may take a short time to appear.

Hillsborough Sheriff and Tampa Warrants

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office handles the service of bench warrants in Tampa. The office is at 2008 E. 8th Ave., Tampa, FL 33605. The phone number is (813) 247-8200. The sheriff's office has a warrant inquiry feature on their website. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state can serve a bench warrant. That means a Tampa bench warrant can lead to arrest in any Florida county.

The Tampa Police Department homepage is shown below. While the city police do not issue bench warrants, officers enforce them during routine patrol and traffic stops.

The Tampa Police Department is at 411 N. Franklin St., Tampa, FL 33602. Their phone number is (813) 276-3200. Tampa officers will arrest you if a bench warrant comes up during any interaction. The warrant does not need to be from Tampa specifically. Any active Florida bench warrant can trigger an arrest.

Tampa Bench Warrant Penalties

Missing your court date in Tampa 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, carrying up to one year in jail. These charges are on top of the original case. The bench warrant adds a new layer of legal trouble that you have to deal with on top of whatever brought you to court.

Bench warrants in Tampa do not expire. A bench warrant from years ago is still active today. It stays in the system until the person is arrested, the judge recalls it, or the subject dies. Search warrants are different. They expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. But bench warrants last as long as it takes. Any contact with law enforcement in Tampa or anywhere in Florida can lead to an arrest if you have an active bench warrant.

Note: Even a routine traffic stop in Tampa can result in arrest if the officer finds an active bench warrant during a records check.

Resolving Bench Warrants in Tampa

Get a lawyer before you try to handle a bench warrant in Tampa. A defense attorney can look at your case details and come up with a plan. Some attorneys file a motion to quash or recall the warrant. This strategy works best for old warrants or cases with minor charges. Showing up on your own terms almost always goes better than getting arrested during a traffic stop or at a checkpoint.

Ways to resolve a bench warrant in Tampa:

• Hire a lawyer to file a motion to quash the warrant
• Turn yourself in at the Hillsborough County Jail
• Call the sheriff at (813) 247-8200 for warrant details
• Check the HOVER system for your case status
• Use the FDLE database to confirm the warrant is active

Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when someone fails to appear after proper notice. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730, the clerk or state attorney can prepare a direct capias to bring a defendant before the court for adjudication or sentencing. Tampa bench warrant records are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. Anyone can look them up.

Tampa Warrant Records Access

All bench warrants in Tampa are public records under Florida's Sunshine Law. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes makes court records available to anyone who asks. You do not need to be a party to the case. There are exceptions for juvenile records and sealed cases, but most bench warrants in Tampa are fully accessible. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association ties together all 67 county clerk offices. The eWarrants system connects police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs across the state.

The FDLE database at fdle.state.fl.us pulls warrant data from every county in Florida. It updates every 24 hours. You can search by name or date of birth. This is a good backup option if the Hillsborough County tools are down or if you want to check for warrants across multiple counties at once.

Hillsborough County Bench Warrants

Tampa is the county seat of Hillsborough County. All bench warrants in the city go through the 13th Judicial Circuit Court. For full details on the clerk, sheriff, and county court resources, see the Hillsborough County bench warrants page.

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Tampa. Each city's bench warrants are handled through their county court system. Check the right jurisdiction before you act.