Bench Warrants in Palm Beach County

Bench warrants in Palm Beach County come from judges in the 15th Judicial Circuit when a person fails to appear for court or violates a court order. West Palm Beach is the county seat and the main courthouse location. The Palm Beach County Clerk of Court and the Sheriff's Office both play a role in tracking, recording, and serving these warrants. You can search for active bench warrants through the clerk's records system, by contacting the sheriff, or through the statewide FDLE database. Palm Beach County is one of the most populous counties in Florida, and its courts handle a large volume of cases each year. This page explains how to find and deal with bench warrants here.

Palm Beach County Clerk of Court

The Palm Beach County Clerk of Court keeps all court case files, and that includes bench warrants. The main office is at 205 N. Dixie Hwy in West Palm Beach, FL 33401. You can reach the clerk at (561) 355-2994 for case questions or to ask about a bench warrant. The Palm Beach County Clerk website has court record search tools, forms, and details on how to access public records. The clerk staff can look up warrants by name or case number. Because Palm Beach County is so large, the clerk's office processes thousands of cases each year across criminal, civil, and family court divisions.

Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge issues a bench warrant after finding probable cause that a person failed to appear or broke a court order. In Palm Beach County, once the judge signs the warrant, the clerk enters it into the court system. From there it feeds into the FCIC and NCIC databases, making it visible to law enforcement across the state and nation. Electronic signatures have been allowed on Florida warrants since July 2013.

The FDLE website serves as the state-level source for warrant data in Palm Beach County and across Florida.

The FDLE database at fdle.state.fl.us pulls data from all 67 Florida counties, including Palm Beach, and updates every 24 hours.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Warrants

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is responsible for serving bench warrants and arrest warrants throughout the county. The main office is at 3228 Gun Club Rd. in West Palm Beach, FL 33406. The general number is (561) 688-3000. You can call to verify if a bench warrant is active in Palm Beach County. The sheriff's office has deputies assigned to warrant service who track down individuals with outstanding warrants. If you have an active bench warrant and come into contact with any law enforcement officer in Palm Beach County, you can be arrested on the spot.

Under Florida Statute 901.04, bench warrants are directed to all sheriffs in the state. That means a warrant issued in Palm Beach County can be served in any other Florida county. It can be executed any day of the week, at any hour. There are no time restrictions on when a bench warrant can be served. If you get stopped in Tampa with a Palm Beach County bench warrant, the officer there can act on it. The warrant data flows through the FCIC system to all law enforcement agencies statewide.

Note: Palm Beach County bench warrants have no expiration date and remain active until the person is arrested, the judge recalls the warrant, or the subject is deceased.

Search Palm Beach County Bench Warrants

The Palm Beach County Clerk's online system lets you search court records by name, case number, or other details. Criminal case records will show if a bench warrant has been issued. The system covers cases from multiple divisions, including criminal, civil, and traffic. New warrants may not appear right away since the database updates on a schedule. For the most current info, call the clerk's office at (561) 355-2994 or visit the courthouse in person.

You can also check the statewide FDLE database for Palm Beach County bench warrants. The system at fdle.state.fl.us covers all 67 Florida counties and updates daily. Search by name or date of birth. The database includes arrest warrants, bench warrants, capias warrants, probation violation warrants, and fugitive warrants. FDLE warns that this data should not be used as confirmation that any warrant is active. Always verify with the Palm Beach County Clerk or Sheriff for the most up-to-date status. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association connects all county clerks and helps share warrant data through the eWarrants system.

Bench Warrant Penalties in Palm Beach County

Failing to show up for court in Palm Beach County triggers serious consequences. Florida Statute 843.15 makes failure to appear on a felony charge a third-degree felony. That can mean up to five years in prison. Missing a misdemeanor court date is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail. These are new charges on top of whatever brought you to court in the first place. The bench warrant creates a separate legal problem from the original case, so you end up with two matters to resolve instead of one.

Bench warrants and search warrants work very differently. Search warrants expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. Bench warrants never expire. A bench warrant from five years ago in Palm Beach County is just as valid today. It shows up during traffic stops, when you apply for certain permits, or any time law enforcement runs your name. Until you resolve it, the warrant stays in the system.

Resolving Palm Beach County Bench Warrants

If you learn about an active bench warrant in Palm Beach County, contact a criminal defense attorney before doing anything else. A lawyer can review the details, look at the underlying charges, and help you plan. In many cases, an attorney can file a motion to quash the warrant, particularly when the case is old or the charges are minor. Turning yourself in on your own terms is almost always better than being arrested during a routine traffic stop. You can surrender at the Palm Beach County Jail at any time.

Options for dealing with a Palm Beach County bench warrant include:

• Hire an attorney to file a motion to quash or recall the warrant
• Turn yourself in at the Palm Beach County Jail
• Call the sheriff at (561) 688-3000 for warrant information
• Contact the clerk at (561) 355-2994 to check case status
• Check the FDLE database for statewide warrant records

Be on guard for phone scams. Actual law enforcement in Palm Beach County will never call and demand money to clear a bench warrant. No gift cards. No wire transfers. If someone calls claiming to be from the sheriff's office and asks for payment, hang up. Then call the clerk or the sheriff's main number to verify. Bench warrant records in Palm Beach County are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can also issue a capias or writ of bodily attachment for failure to appear after proper notice. Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730 allows the clerk or state attorney to prepare a direct capias to bring a person before the court.

Cities in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County has many cities and towns. All bench warrants in the county go through the 15th Judicial Circuit Court in West Palm Beach. Several cities in Palm Beach County have populations over 75,000.

Other places in Palm Beach County include Delray Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Jupiter, Wellington, and Royal Palm Beach. Bench warrants for residents of these areas are processed through the Palm Beach County courthouse in West Palm Beach.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Palm Beach County. Confirm your bench warrant is in the right county before taking action. Each county has its own clerk and sheriff that manage warrants.