Okeechobee County Bench Warrant Lookup

Bench warrants in Okeechobee County are issued by judges in the 19th Judicial Circuit when a person does not show up for court or breaks a court order. The Okeechobee County Clerk of Court keeps all official records, and the Sheriff's Office handles enforcement. Okeechobee is both the county seat and the largest town. You can search for active bench warrants by contacting the clerk, calling the sheriff, or checking the FDLE statewide warrant database. This page explains how to look up bench warrants in Okeechobee County, understand the penalties, and take the right steps to resolve an outstanding warrant.

Okeechobee County Clerk of Court

The Okeechobee County Clerk of Court is at 312 NW 3rd St., Okeechobee, FL 34972. Call (863) 763-2131 for questions about court cases or bench warrants. The clerk's office files and manages all court records for the 19th Judicial Circuit in Okeechobee County. When a judge signs a bench warrant, the clerk enters it into the case management system. These records become part of the public court file under Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119. You can go to the office in person and ask the staff to search for a bench warrant by name or case number.

Okeechobee County is one of the smaller counties in Florida with a population of about 42,000. The courthouse and clerk's office are both in the town of Okeechobee. Because it is a smaller jurisdiction, the volume of bench warrants is lower than in bigger counties. That said, the legal process is the same. A bench warrant from Okeechobee carries the same weight as one from Miami-Dade or Duval. Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge needs probable cause to issue a warrant, and electronic signatures have been legal since 2013. The size of the county does not change the seriousness of the warrant.

Note: The clerk's office can tell you if a bench warrant was filed in your case, but for current warrant status, the sheriff's office is usually the better contact.

Okeechobee Sheriff Bench Warrants

The Okeechobee County Sheriff's Office is at 504 NW 4th St., Okeechobee, FL 34972. Phone is (863) 763-3117. The sheriff's office serves all bench warrants and arrest warrants in Okeechobee County. When a bench warrant is issued, deputies are responsible for locating and arresting the person named on it. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state of Florida can serve an Okeechobee County bench warrant. The arrest can happen any day, any time. There are no geographic limits or time restrictions on serving bench warrants in Florida.

Okeechobee County shares the 19th Judicial Circuit with Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties. Warrant data from Okeechobee goes into the FCIC system and links to the national NCIC database. That means a bench warrant from this county will show up if your name gets run during a traffic stop anywhere in the state or country. Moving away from Okeechobee does not clear the warrant. It stays in the system until you deal with it through the court.

The sheriff's office is where you would go to turn yourself in on a bench warrant. The Okeechobee County Jail accepts voluntary surrenders. If you plan to turn yourself in, consider talking to a lawyer first so you know what to expect and can have representation lined up for your court appearance.

Okeechobee County Warrant Database

Okeechobee County does not have its own online warrant search portal, but you can check for active bench warrants through the FDLE statewide warrant database. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains the central repository of criminal history records and wanted persons for all 67 counties. The database updates every 24 hours. You can search by first name, last name, or date of birth. The system includes bench warrants, arrest warrants, capias warrants, violation of probation warrants, and fugitive warrants.

The FDLE homepage is shown below and provides access to the statewide wanted persons search.

Keep in mind that the FDLE database is a reference tool. It should not be used as confirmation that a warrant is active or as probable cause for an arrest. For the most current information on Okeechobee County bench warrants, call the sheriff at (863) 763-3117 or the clerk at (863) 763-2131. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association also connects all county clerk offices through the eWarrants system, which links law enforcement, clerks, judges, and state attorneys across the state.

Bench Warrant Penalties in Okeechobee

Failing to appear for court in Okeechobee County triggers additional charges. Under Florida Statute 843.15, failure to appear on a felony charge is a third-degree felony. That means up to five years in state prison. Failure to appear on a misdemeanor is a first-degree misdemeanor with up to one year in jail. These charges are new. They are added on top of whatever the original case was about. The bench warrant itself is just the mechanism the judge uses to bring you back to court. The failure to appear is a separate criminal offense that gets prosecuted independently.

Bench warrants and search warrants work differently under Florida law. Search warrants expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. Bench warrants never expire. A bench warrant issued years ago in Okeechobee County is still valid and enforceable. It does not go away on its own. It stays active in law enforcement databases and will come up during any police contact, whether that is a traffic stop, a license check, or any other interaction. The only way to clear it is through the court in Okeechobee.

Note: Okeechobee County bench warrants stay active until the person is arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or the subject is deceased.

Resolving Okeechobee County Warrants

If you have a bench warrant in Okeechobee County, your first step should be to contact a criminal defense attorney. A lawyer who works in the 19th Judicial Circuit can review the details of your case and help you plan the best approach. In some situations, the attorney can file a motion to quash the bench warrant. This is a request to the judge to cancel the warrant and set a new hearing date. The success of this strategy depends on the nature of the original charge, how long the warrant has been outstanding, and the judge who handles the case. When a motion to quash is granted, you avoid the arrest entirely and get a fresh court date instead.

Steps to handle an Okeechobee County bench warrant:

• Hire a criminal defense attorney for legal guidance
• Have your lawyer file a motion to quash or recall the warrant
• Turn yourself in at the Okeechobee County Jail
• Call the clerk at (863) 763-2131 for case info
• Call the sheriff at (863) 763-3117 for warrant status

Voluntary surrender is generally viewed more favorably by judges than getting arrested. If you turn yourself in, the judge may be more lenient when setting conditions for your release. Be aware of phone scams too. No law enforcement agency in Okeechobee County will call and ask you to pay money over the phone to clear a bench warrant. Gift cards, wire transfers, and prepaid cards are never used by the court system. If you receive a call like this, hang up and call the sheriff's office to verify.

Okeechobee Warrant Records Access

All bench warrants in Okeechobee County are public records. Florida's Sunshine Law, Chapter 119, gives the public the right to access most court documents. You do not need to be part of the case to look up a bench warrant. Exceptions exist for juvenile records and sealed cases, but the large majority of bench warrants are open for public search. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730, the clerk or state attorney can prepare a direct capias to bring a person before the court. 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. Both types of documents become part of the public record in Okeechobee County.

Cities in Okeechobee County

Okeechobee County is small and mostly rural. The city of Okeechobee is the only incorporated municipality. All bench warrants go through the 19th Judicial Circuit Court. No city in the county has a population over 75,000, so all warrant matters are handled at the county courthouse.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Okeechobee County. Make sure your bench warrant is filed in the right county before you take any steps. Each county has its own clerk and sheriff for warrant matters.