Find Lake County Bench Warrants

Lake County bench warrants are public records you can look up through the Clerk of Court in Tavares, the Sheriff's Office, or the FDLE database. Judges in the 5th Judicial Circuit issue bench warrants when someone fails to appear in court or violates a court order. Lake County has a population of over 444,000 and sits in central Florida, just west of Orlando. The county has its own online court records search system that makes it easy to check for active bench warrants from home. This page explains the search tools, the offices involved, and your options if a bench warrant comes up.

Lake County Clerk of Court

Gary J. Cooney serves as the Lake County Clerk of Court. The office keeps all court case files, including bench warrants. The physical address is 550 W. Main St. in Tavares, FL 32778. The mailing address is PO Box 7800, Tavares, FL 32778-7800. Call (352) 742-4100 for general questions about cases or bench warrants. The Lake County Clerk website has links to court records, forms, and online search tools.

The Lake County Clerk homepage gives you access to court records and case search tools.

The clerk's office handles bond payments, case filings, and public records requests for Lake County. Under Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119, bench warrant records are public. Anyone can ask to see them. You do not need to be a party to the case to look up a bench warrant in Lake County. The clerk can search by name or case number.

Lake County is part of the 5th Judicial Circuit, which also covers Citrus, Hernando, Marion, and Sumter counties. Under Florida Statute 901.04, a bench warrant from Lake County can be served by any sheriff in Florida. The warrant is valid statewide. It does not matter if you leave the county or even move across the state.

Search Lake County Bench Warrants Online

Lake County has an online court records search you can use to find bench warrants. The Lake County court records search lets you look up cases by name, case number, or date. The tool is free. You need to accept the terms before you can search. Results show case details, charges, filing dates, and warrant status. You can see if a bench warrant is active or has been served.

The Lake County online court records search page is shown here.

Keep in mind that not every bench warrant shows up in the system right away. New warrants may take a day or two to appear. The database gets updated on a schedule, and there is always a short gap between when a judge signs a warrant and when it shows in the Lake County online search.

You can also search through the FDLE statewide database. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement collects warrant data from all 67 counties, including Lake County. It gets updated every 24 hours. Search by first name, last name, or date of birth. The FDLE system shows bench warrants, arrest warrants, capias warrants, and more.

Lake County Sheriff Warrant Service

The Lake County Sheriff's Office handles warrant service in the county. The office is at 360 W. Ruby St. in Tavares, FL 32778. Call (352) 343-2101 for questions. Deputies serve bench warrants and arrest warrants throughout Lake County. When someone gets picked up on a bench warrant, they go to the Lake County Jail and wait to see a judge.

Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge must find probable cause before issuing a bench warrant. The warrant gets signed and entered into the system. From that point, it stays active with no time limit. A bench warrant from Lake County does not expire. Deputies can serve it any day, any time. That includes weekends, holidays, and late at night. There are no restrictions on when an officer can act on a bench warrant in Lake County.

Note: All Lake County bench warrants are entered into the Florida Crime Information Center and shared with the national NCIC system.

Lake County Bench Warrant Penalties

Missing court in Lake County means new charges on top of your existing case. Florida Statute 843.15 makes failure to appear a crime. If you were released on a felony charge and did not show up, that is a third-degree felony. The penalty is up to five years in prison. For a misdemeanor, failure to appear is a first-degree misdemeanor with up to one year in jail. The bench warrant is the tool the court uses to bring you back, but the failure to appear charge is a separate offense.

Bench warrants and search warrants are different things. Search warrants expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. Bench warrants have no expiration at all. One from years ago in Lake County is still active today. It shows up during traffic stops, at the airport, and any time law enforcement runs your name. Under Florida Statute 88.3051, the court can also issue a writ of bodily attachment, which works the same way as a bench warrant for bringing someone before the court.

Resolving Bench Warrants in Lake County

If you find out you have a bench warrant in Lake County, get a lawyer. A criminal defense attorney can check the case details and decide whether a motion to quash is the right move. Many times, judges will recall a bench warrant if the person has a good reason for missing court and their lawyer files the right paperwork. Turning yourself in at the Lake County Jail is always an option. Voluntary surrender tends to go better with the judge than getting arrested during a traffic stop.

To resolve a Lake County bench warrant:

• Hire an attorney to file a motion to quash or recall the warrant
• Turn yourself in at the Lake County Jail in Tavares
• Contact the sheriff at (352) 343-2101
• Call the clerk at (352) 742-4100 for case status

Scam calls are a real problem. No law enforcement officer in Lake County will ever call you and ask for money to clear a bench warrant. No gift cards. No wire transfers. If someone calls and says you have a warrant and need to pay right now, hang up. Verify through the clerk's office or the sheriff's office. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730, the clerk or the state attorney can prepare a direct capias to bring you before the court. But that process never involves a phone payment.

Lake County Warrant Records Access

All bench warrants in Lake County are public records under Florida's Sunshine Law. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association connects all 67 clerk offices through shared systems. The eWarrants system links police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs across the state. A bench warrant from Lake County appears in databases used by every law enforcement agency in Florida.

You can request bench warrant records from the Lake County Clerk by phone, in person, or through a public records request. The clerk may charge a copy fee for printed documents. Digital records through the online search are free to view. For older cases or sealed records, you may need to contact the clerk directly at (352) 742-4100.

Cities in Lake County

Lake County has many cities and towns including Clermont, Leesburg, Eustis, Mount Dora, Tavares, Lady Lake, Groveland, Minneola, Fruitland Park, and Mascotte. All bench warrants in the county are handled through the 5th Judicial Circuit Court in Tavares. No cities in Lake County meet the population threshold for a dedicated page. All warrant matters go through the Lake County courthouse.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Lake County. Check that your bench warrant is in the right county before you take steps to resolve it. Each county has its own clerk and sheriff handling warrants.