Citrus County Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Citrus County are issued by judges in the 5th Judicial Circuit when a person does not show up for court or fails to follow a court order. Citrus County sits along Florida's Nature Coast, northwest of Orlando, with Inverness as the county seat. The Clerk of Court and the Sheriff's Office are the two main offices that handle bench warrant records here. With a population of about 170,000, the county maintains an active court system that processes criminal, civil, and traffic cases regularly. You can look up bench warrants in Citrus County through the clerk's website, the sheriff, or the FDLE statewide database. This page explains how.

Citrus County Clerk of Court

The Citrus County Clerk of Court is the custodian of all court records in the county. The main office is at 110 N. Apopka Ave., Inverness, FL 34450. Call (352) 341-6424 for questions about bench warrants, case status, or public records. The Citrus County Clerk website provides online tools for searching court records, forms, and filing information.

The Citrus County Clerk of Court homepage is shown here.

This site gives you access to court records search tools and information about the clerk's services in Citrus County. You can look up cases, check warrant status, and find fee schedules.

Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge in the 5th Judicial Circuit can issue a bench warrant when probable cause exists. The clerk processes the warrant and adds it to the court file. Citrus County shares the 5th Judicial Circuit with Hernando, Lake, Marion, and Sumter counties.

Citrus County Sheriff Warrant Services

The Citrus County Sheriff's Office serves all bench warrants and arrest warrants in the county. They are at 1 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, Inverness, FL 34450. Phone is (352) 770-0198. Call to ask about active bench warrants in Citrus County. The sheriff's office maintains its own records and can confirm warrant status.

Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state can serve a Citrus County bench warrant. The arrest can happen at any time on any day. Officers can cross county lines through fresh pursuit. So a bench warrant from Citrus County can be executed in Hernando County, Marion County, or anywhere else in Florida. The reverse is also true. Citrus County deputies can serve warrants from other counties when they encounter wanted persons.

For a broader search, use the FDLE database at fdle.state.fl.us. This statewide tool pulls warrant data from all 67 Florida counties. It gets updated every 24 hours. You can search by name or date of birth. Keep in mind that not every bench warrant from Citrus County may show up right away due to processing times between agencies.

How Citrus County Bench Warrants Work

Failure to appear is the number one cause of bench warrants in Citrus County. Under Florida Statute 88.3051, the court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment after a person does not show up with proper notice. This applies across all case types. Criminal hearings, traffic court, civil cases, and family law matters can all lead to a bench warrant if you miss your date in Citrus County.

The judge signs the bench warrant and it becomes active instantly. Electronic signatures have been valid in Florida since July 2013. Once signed, the bench warrant goes into the clerk's records, the FDLE database, and the National Crime Information Center. It shows up during traffic stops, background checks, and other law enforcement contacts. A Citrus County bench warrant can lead to arrest anywhere in the state or even out of state.

Bench warrants in Citrus County never expire. This trips people up. They think old warrants just go away. They do not. Under Florida Statute 933.05, search warrants expire after 10 days, but bench warrants are a different category. They stay active until the person is arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or the subject is deceased. Five years or ten years later, the warrant is still there.

Citrus County Bench Warrant Penalties

Florida Statute 843.15 makes failure to appear a crime. Missing court on a felony charge in Citrus County is a third-degree felony. That means up to five years in prison. Missing court on a misdemeanor is a first-degree misdemeanor with up to one year in jail. The failure to appear charge is separate from the original case. You are now dealing with two matters instead of one.

Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730, the clerk or state attorney in Citrus County can prepare a direct capias to bring someone back for sentencing or adjudication. This is yet another arrest authorization that works on top of the bench warrant. The longer you ignore a bench warrant in Citrus County, the more complicated your situation gets. Bond amounts may go up, and judges may impose stricter conditions.

Note: Bench warrant records in Citrus County are public under Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, and anyone can request information about them.

Resolving Bench Warrants in Citrus County

First, confirm the bench warrant is real. Call the Citrus County Clerk at (352) 341-6424 or the sheriff at (352) 770-0198. Check the FDLE database too. Then hire a criminal defense attorney. This is the most important step. A lawyer who knows the 5th Judicial Circuit can help you navigate the process in Citrus County and often get better results than going it alone.

Options for dealing with a bench warrant in Citrus County include:

• Having your attorney file a motion to quash the warrant
• Voluntary surrender at the Citrus County detention facility
• Getting a new court date set through your lawyer
• Appearing before the judge to explain the missed court date

Voluntary surrender goes over better with Citrus County judges than getting arrested on the street. It shows you are taking responsibility. Your attorney can set everything up so the process moves quickly. For old bench warrants or minor offenses, a motion to quash may get the warrant dropped. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association connects all 67 county clerk offices and can help with records access.

Be cautious about warrant scam calls targeting Citrus County residents. Real law enforcement will never ask for phone payment, gift cards, or wire transfers to clear a bench warrant. Always verify through the clerk or sheriff before you take any action.

Cities in Citrus County

Citrus County has several communities along the Nature Coast. Inverness is the county seat. No cities in Citrus County meet the population threshold for a separate page. All bench warrants are handled at the courthouse in Inverness through the 5th Judicial Circuit. Other communities include Crystal River, Homosassa, Beverly Hills, Lecanto, and Citrus Springs.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Citrus County. Make sure you know which county issued your bench warrant before trying to resolve it.