Find Bench Warrants in Martin County

Bench warrants in Martin County are issued by judges in the 19th Judicial Circuit when someone fails to show up for a scheduled court date or violates a court order. The Martin County Clerk of Court in Stuart keeps the official records, and the Sheriff's Office handles the service and enforcement of these warrants. You can check for active bench warrants by contacting the clerk or sheriff directly. All bench warrant records in Martin County are public under Florida law, and this page walks through every way to search for them, what the penalties look like, and how to get one resolved.

Martin County Clerk of Court

The Martin County Clerk of Court is at 100 E. Ocean Blvd., Stuart, FL 34994. Call (772) 288-5576 for general questions. The clerk's office manages all court filings for the 19th Judicial Circuit, and that includes bench warrants. When a judge issues a bench warrant in Martin County, the clerk logs it into the case management system right away. These records become part of the court file and are accessible to the public under Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119. You can visit the office in person to search for bench warrants by name or case number. The staff will pull up whatever they can find in the system for you.

The Martin County Clerk of Court homepage is shown below and provides links to court records and services.

The clerk's website has online tools for searching court records. You can look up criminal cases, civil cases, and traffic matters. Bench warrants will appear as part of the case history for the person you search. If the judge issued a capias or bench warrant, it shows on the docket. Not all records may be available right away online, as there can be a short delay between when the judge signs the warrant and when it appears in the digital system.

Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge must find probable cause before issuing an arrest warrant or bench warrant. In Martin County, the warrant is signed and entered into the clerk's system on the same day in most cases. Electronic signatures have been valid on Florida warrants since July 1, 2013, so the process moves fast.

Martin County Sheriff Bench Warrants

The Martin County Sheriff's Office is at 800 SE Monterey Rd., Stuart, FL 34994. You can reach them at (772) 220-7000. The sheriff's office is responsible for serving all bench warrants and arrest warrants in the county. Once a judge signs a bench warrant, deputies are tasked with locating and arresting the named individual. This can happen at home, at work, during a traffic stop, or anywhere in the state.

Under Florida Statute 901.04, a bench warrant from Martin County can be served by any sheriff in the state of Florida. There is no geographic limit. An arrest can happen on any day and at any time. If a deputy in Palm Beach County runs your name during a routine stop and a Martin County bench warrant comes up, you can be arrested on the spot. The warrant data is shared across all 67 Florida counties through the FCIC system, which is linked to the national NCIC database. So even a bench warrant from a small county like Martin shows up for law enforcement across the country.

Note: Bench warrants in Martin County do not expire and remain active until the person is arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or the individual is deceased.

Martin County Warrant Penalties

Skipping court in Martin County creates real legal problems. Under Florida Statute 843.15, failure to appear on a felony charge is itself a third-degree felony. That means up to five years in prison. If you miss a misdemeanor court date, the failure to appear is a first-degree misdemeanor carrying up to one year in jail. These are brand new charges. They stack on top of whatever you were already facing. The original case does not go away just because you missed court. It gets worse.

There is a key difference between bench warrants and search warrants in Florida. Search warrants expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. Bench warrants never expire. A bench warrant issued three years ago in Martin County is just as active today as it was the day the judge signed it. It shows up in background checks, during traffic stops, and any time law enforcement runs your name. The only way to clear it is to deal with it through the court system in Stuart.

Resolving Warrants in Martin County

The first step is to talk to a criminal defense attorney. A lawyer who practices in Martin County can check the details of your case and advise you on the best course of action. In some cases, the attorney can file a motion to quash or recall the bench warrant without you having to turn yourself in first. This depends on the charge, how old the warrant is, and the judge handling the case. Voluntary surrender almost always looks better than getting arrested. You can turn yourself in at the Martin County Jail at any time.

Options for handling a Martin County bench warrant:

• Contact a criminal defense attorney for legal advice
• File a motion to quash through your lawyer
• Turn yourself in at the Martin County Jail
• Call the clerk at (772) 288-5576 for case information
• Call the sheriff at (772) 220-7000 for warrant questions

Be careful with phone scams. Real law enforcement in Martin County will never call you and demand payment over the phone to clear a bench warrant. No gift cards, no wire transfers. If you get a call like that, it is a scam. Hang up and call the sheriff's non-emergency line to confirm.

Martin County Bench Warrant Records

Bench warrants in Martin County are public records. Florida's Sunshine Law guarantees access. Once a return of service is filed, the full warrant document becomes part of the court record. Anyone can request to see it. You do not need to be involved in the case. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association connects all 67 county clerk offices through shared systems. The eWarrants platform links police, state attorneys, clerks, judges, and sheriffs statewide. That means a bench warrant entered in Martin County shows up in law enforcement databases throughout the state right away.

You can also check the FDLE statewide database for Martin County bench warrants. The state system pulls warrant data from every county and updates every 24 hours. Search by first name, last name, or date of birth. Keep in mind the FDLE database is not meant to confirm whether a warrant is currently active. It is a reference tool only. For the most current status, contact the Martin County Clerk or Sheriff directly.

Note: Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when someone does not appear after proper notice in Martin County.

Cities in Martin County

Martin County includes Stuart, Jensen Beach, Palm City, Indiantown, Hobe Sound, and Sewall's Point. All bench warrants go through the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in Stuart. No city in Martin County has a population over 75,000, so all warrant matters are handled at the county courthouse.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Martin County. Confirm your bench warrant is in the right jurisdiction before taking any steps. Each county has a separate clerk and sheriff.