Hillsborough County Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Hillsborough County are issued by judges in the 13th Judicial Circuit, which serves only Hillsborough County and is based in Tampa. With a population over 1.5 million, Hillsborough County is one of the largest counties in Florida and processes a high volume of bench warrants each year. The clerk of court operates the HOVER online search system for court records. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office also maintains a warrant inquiry tool. You can search for active bench warrants through these local resources, the statewide FDLE database, or by contacting the clerk or sheriff directly. All bench warrant records in Hillsborough County are public under Florida's Sunshine Law.

Hillsborough County Clerk of Court

The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court & Comptroller is headed by Clerk Victor D. Crist. The main office is at 419 Pierce St. in Tampa. This office handles all court case filings for the 13th Judicial Circuit. When a judge issues a bench warrant in Hillsborough County, the clerk enters it into the case management system and it becomes part of the public record.

Hillsborough County is the only county in the 13th Judicial Circuit. That means the clerk's office deals with a massive caseload from Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plant City, and all unincorporated areas. The court system processes thousands of criminal and traffic cases each year, and bench warrants are a routine part of that workload. You can check the Hillsborough Clerk service locations page for hours and branch offices across the county.

The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court homepage is shown below.

The clerk's website is the starting point for online record searches, court date lookups, and case status checks in Hillsborough County.

Hillsborough County Bench Warrant Search Online

The Hillsborough County Clerk runs the HOVER system for searching court records online. HOVER lets you search by case number, party name, or citation number. It is one of the best online court record tools in Florida. You can find bench warrant information by looking up a person's name and checking their case status. If a bench warrant was issued, it will show in the case details along with the date and reason.

Hillsborough County also offers an official records search through the clerk's website. While this tool focuses on recorded documents like deeds and liens, the court records side through HOVER is where bench warrant data lives. The court hearing lookup tool can also help you check if you have an upcoming court date in Hillsborough County. Missing that date is what leads to most bench warrants.

The Hillsborough County official records search portal is shown here.

This tool provides public access to recorded documents in Hillsborough County. For bench warrant case records specifically, use the HOVER court records system.

Hillsborough Sheriff Warrants

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is at 2008 E. 8th Ave. in Tampa. You can call (813) 247-8200. Under Florida Statute § 901.04, deputies serve bench warrants throughout the county and can make arrests at any time. The HCSO website has a warrant inquiry tool that the public can use to check for active warrants.

With over 1.5 million residents, Hillsborough County has one of the largest sheriff's offices in Florida. Deputies patrol Tampa, the surrounding suburbs, and unincorporated areas. The Tampa Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits, but the sheriff's office is the main agency for bench warrant service across Hillsborough County. Both agencies can arrest someone on an active bench warrant during any encounter, whether that is a traffic stop, a call for service, or a routine patrol.

Fresh pursuit rules let Hillsborough County deputies follow a suspect into Pinellas, Pasco, or any other county. A bench warrant from Hillsborough County is also visible to law enforcement statewide through the FDLE database and the NCIC system. Moving to another county or state does not make the bench warrant go away.

How Bench Warrants Work in Hillsborough

Under Florida Statute § 901.02, a judge must find probable cause before issuing a bench warrant. In Hillsborough County, judges issue bench warrants primarily for failure to appear. When a defendant does not show up for a criminal hearing, a traffic court date, or a sentencing hearing, the judge signs the bench warrant that same day. It takes effect immediately.

Failure to appear carries its own penalties in Florida. Under Florida Statute § 843.15, skipping court on a felony adds a third-degree felony charge. Missing a misdemeanor court date adds a first-degree misdemeanor. These charges are separate from the original case and create new legal problems. In a high-volume court system like Hillsborough County, bench warrants for failure to appear are common across all divisions.

Judges also issue bench warrants for probation violations. Under Florida Statute § 88.3051, the court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when proper notice was given and the person did not appear. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730, the clerk or prosecutor can prepare a direct capias to bring the defendant back for adjudication or sentencing in Hillsborough County.

Check Hillsborough County Bench Warrants

Hillsborough County has more search options than most Florida counties. The HOVER system through the clerk's website lets you search court records by name. The sheriff's office offers a warrant inquiry on its website. And the FDLE database at fdle.state.fl.us provides a free statewide search that covers all 67 counties, including Hillsborough.

For direct help, call the clerk at (813) 276-8100 or the sheriff at (813) 247-8200. The Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers association also connects to resources for all Florida county clerks. In person, you can visit the clerk's main office at 419 Pierce St. in downtown Tampa. Staff can search for bench warrants by name or case number.

Note: The HOVER system may show case status as "open" even after a bench warrant has been issued, so check the case detail for specific warrant information in Hillsborough County.

Resolving Hillsborough County Warrants

Bench warrants in Florida never expire. A Hillsborough County bench warrant stays active until the person is arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or the subject is deceased. Under Florida Statute § 933.05, search warrants expire after 10 days, but bench warrants have no such limit. A bench warrant from five or ten years ago in Hillsborough County is still valid today.

Hire a criminal defense attorney. Tampa has many criminal defense lawyers who handle bench warrant cases in the 13th Judicial Circuit regularly. A lawyer can check for Hillsborough County bench warrants privately and arrange a voluntary surrender with the court. Judges tend to treat voluntary surrender more favorably. Your attorney may also file a motion to quash the bench warrant if there are grounds. Old warrants, minor offenses, improper notice, or mistaken identity can all support a motion to quash in Hillsborough County.

Watch out for bench warrant scams targeting Hillsborough County residents. Scammers call people claiming they have warrants and demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. No real law enforcement agency in Hillsborough County will ever demand payment over the phone. Verify any claim through the sheriff at (813) 247-8200 or the clerk's office.

Hillsborough Bench Warrant Public Records

All bench warrant records in Hillsborough County are public under Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119. Anyone can access court records through the clerk of court or the HOVER system online. You do not need to be a party to the case. Once a bench warrant is served and a return of service is filed, the complete record becomes part of the public file.

Some limits apply. Juvenile cases have extra protections. Unexecuted search warrants remain sealed until served. But the vast majority of adult bench warrants in Hillsborough County are open for public inspection. The 13th Judicial Circuit serves only Hillsborough County, so all records stay centralized in Tampa through the clerk's office.

Cities in Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County includes Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City. Tampa is the county seat and the largest city, with a population over 400,000. All bench warrant cases in the county go through the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Tampa.

Temple Terrace and Plant City also fall under Hillsborough County's court system. Bench warrants for residents of these cities are handled at the same courthouse in Tampa.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Hillsborough County. A bench warrant is tied to the county where the case was filed. Confirm your case is in Hillsborough County before contacting the clerk or sheriff about a warrant.