Pasco County Bench Warrant Search

Bench warrants in Pasco County are issued through the 6th Judicial Circuit when someone skips a court hearing or breaks the terms of a court order. Dade City is the county seat. The Pasco County Clerk of Court and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office both manage bench warrant records. You can search for active bench warrants through the clerk's court records system, the sheriff's online warrant search tool, or the FDLE statewide database. Pasco County is one of the few Florida counties that also runs an Operation Safe Surrender program for certain warrants. This page covers all the ways to search, check, and resolve bench warrants in Pasco County.

Pasco County Clerk of Court

The Pasco County Clerk of Court handles all court records in the county, and bench warrants are part of that. Paula S. O'Neil serves as the clerk. The West Pasco Judicial Center is at 7530 Little Rd in New Port Richey, FL 34654. You can reach the clerk at (727) 847-2411 for case questions. The Pasco County Clerk website has a court records search tool that lets you look up criminal, civil, probate, domestic relations, and guardianship cases. You can search by case number, name, or social security number. Bench warrant status will show up within the case details for criminal matters.

The Pasco County Clerk homepage is shown below with access to court records and case search tools.

The clerk's office processes a high volume of cases each year. Pasco County shares the 6th Judicial Circuit with Pinellas County. When a judge signs a bench warrant in Pasco County, it goes into the clerk's system right away. Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge can issue a bench warrant after finding probable cause that someone missed court. The warrant is considered issued the moment it gets signed.

Pasco County Sheriff Warrant Search

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office serves bench warrants and maintains its own warrant database. The main office is at 8700 Citizen Dr. in New Port Richey, FL 34654. The general number is (727) 847-5878. What makes Pasco County stand out is that the Pasco County Sheriff's website offers an active warrant search tool. You can search by name, warrant number, incident number, or date. This is more than most Florida counties provide online. The search results show the warrant number, issue date, PCSO number, personal info, address, and alleged offense.

Under Florida Statute 901.04, bench warrants in Pasco County are directed to all sheriffs across the state. Any officer in Florida can serve one. The arrest can happen at any time. There is no limit on when or where it can be executed. If a bench warrant was issued in Pasco County and you live in another part of the state, law enforcement there has access to your warrant through the FCIC and NCIC systems. For specific warrant questions, you can contact the Pasco County Warrants Unit directly or call (727) 847-5878.

Pasco County Operation Safe Surrender

Pasco County runs an Operation Safe Surrender program through the sheriff's office. This program is for people who have non-violent misdemeanor warrants. It lets you come before a judge and deal with the warrant instead of getting picked up on the street. This is not an amnesty program. You will still face the court, and the judge will decide what happens. But it gives you a chance to handle the situation on your terms rather than getting arrested at a traffic stop or at home.

The program shows that Pasco County courts understand that some people miss court for reasons that are not criminal in nature. Life happens. You get sick, your car breaks down, or you simply forget a date. The bench warrant still needs to be resolved, but Operation Safe Surrender offers a less disruptive way to do that. Contact the Pasco County Sheriff at (727) 847-5878 or visit pascosheriff.com for details on the next scheduled event.

Note: Operation Safe Surrender is only for non-violent misdemeanor warrants in Pasco County and does not apply to felony bench warrants.

Pasco County Bench Warrant Penalties

Missing court in Pasco County has real legal consequences. Under Florida Statute 843.15, failure to appear on a felony charge is a third-degree felony. That carries up to five years in prison. Failure to appear on a misdemeanor is a first-degree misdemeanor with up to one year in jail. These are new charges added to whatever case brought you to court in the first place. The bench warrant itself creates a separate legal problem on top of the original matter.

Bench warrants and search warrants are two very different things under Florida law. Search warrants expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05. Bench warrants do not expire. A bench warrant from years ago in Pasco County is just as active today. It will appear during traffic stops, license applications, and any interaction with law enforcement. The only way to make it go away is to deal with it through the court system. Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when someone does not show up after receiving proper notice.

Resolving Warrants in Pasco County

If you have a bench warrant in Pasco County, talk to a lawyer first. A criminal defense attorney can check the details, review the charges, and plan the best way to handle things. An attorney may be able to file a motion to quash the warrant, which is common for older cases or minor charges. Voluntary surrender usually works out better than getting arrested during a traffic stop. You can turn yourself in at the Pasco County Jail any time, 24 hours a day.

Ways to handle a Pasco County bench warrant:

• Hire a lawyer to file a motion to quash or recall the warrant
• Use Operation Safe Surrender for qualifying misdemeanor warrants
• Turn yourself in at the Pasco County Jail
• Call the sheriff at (727) 847-5878 for warrant details
• Contact the clerk at (727) 847-2411 for case status

Be careful of scam calls. Law enforcement in Pasco County will never call you and ask for money to clear a warrant. No gift cards. No wire transfers. If someone calls with that kind of demand, hang up and verify through the clerk or sheriff. Bench warrants in Pasco County are public records under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association links all 67 county clerk offices and shares warrant data through the eWarrants system statewide.

Cities in Pasco County

Pasco County has several cities and communities. All bench warrants in the county go through the 6th Judicial Circuit Court. No city in Pasco County has a population over 75,000, so all warrant matters are handled at the county level through the clerk's office and the sheriff.

Cities in Pasco County include New Port Richey, Dade City, Zephyrhills, and Wesley Chapel. Bench warrants for all residents are processed through the Pasco County court system.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Pasco County. Make sure your bench warrant is in the right jurisdiction before taking steps to resolve it. Each county runs its own warrant process through its clerk and sheriff.