Union County Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Union County are issued by judges in the 8th Judicial Circuit when a person fails to appear for a scheduled court hearing or violates a court order. The Union County Clerk of Court and the Sheriff's Office both track and serve these warrants from Lake Butler. You can search for active bench warrants through the clerk's office, the sheriff, or the FDLE statewide database. All bench warrants are public records under Florida law once the return of service is filed. This page explains how to find bench warrants in Union County, what penalties you could face, and what your options are for resolving them.

Union County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Court in Union County keeps all court case files, including bench warrants. The office is at 55 West Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida 32054. You can call (386) 496-3711 for general questions. The clerk handles all filings for the 8th Judicial Circuit courts in Union County. If you need to check on a bench warrant, the clerk staff can look it up by name or case number. Walk-in requests are taken during normal business hours at the courthouse in Lake Butler.

Union County is the second smallest county in Florida by population. With just under 16,000 people, the court system here handles fewer cases than urban counties. But the same Florida laws govern bench warrants everywhere in the state. Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge can issue a bench warrant when probable cause exists and a person has failed to comply with a court order. In Union County, these warrants get entered into the system as soon as the judge signs them. Electronic signatures have been valid on Florida warrants since July 2013.

Search Union County Bench Warrants Online

Union County does not have a large online court records portal. For online bench warrant searches, the primary option is the statewide FDLE database at fdle.state.fl.us. The FDLE system pulls warrant data from all 67 Florida counties, including Union County, and gets updated every 24 hours. You can search by first name, last name, or date of birth. The database covers outstanding arrest warrants, failure to appear capias warrants, direct capias warrants, and violation of probation warrants.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers website is shown below. This statewide association connects all 67 county clerk offices, including Union County.

The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association manages the CCIS and eWarrants systems that share data between county clerks statewide. Union County bench warrant data flows into these systems and is available to law enforcement across Florida.

The 8th Judicial Circuit covers Union, Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, and Levy counties. Court records and warrant data are shared across this circuit. A bench warrant from Union County will show up during encounters with law enforcement in any of these neighboring circuit counties.

Union County Sheriff and Warrants

The Union County Sheriff's Office serves bench warrants in the county. They are at 55 West Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida 32054, sharing the same address as the clerk's office. You can reach them at (386) 496-2501. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state can serve a bench warrant. A warrant from Union County can be executed in any other Florida county. The arrest can happen at any time on any day. There is no restriction on when law enforcement can act on an active bench warrant.

If you think you have a bench warrant in Union County, voluntary surrender is the smart approach. You can turn yourself in at the Union County Jail or contact the sheriff's office first. Because Union County is part of the 8th Judicial Circuit, warrant information is shared with Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, and Levy counties. Law enforcement in Gainesville and surrounding areas will see Union County bench warrants in their systems. Calling the sheriff's non-emergency line before you show up helps you know what to expect.

Note: Union County is home to several state correctional facilities, but those are separate from the county court system that handles bench warrants.

Union County Bench Warrant Penalties

Missing court in Union County results in new criminal charges. 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 charges are added on top of the original case. The bench warrant is a separate legal matter from whatever brought you to court in the first place.

Florida bench warrants do not expire. Search warrants expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05, but bench warrants stay active with no time limit. A bench warrant from years ago in Union County is still enforceable today. It shows up during traffic stops, at airports, and during any law enforcement contact across the state. The warrant remains in the FCIC and NCIC databases until it is resolved. Under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.730, the clerk or state attorney can prepare a direct capias to bring someone before the court for sentencing or adjudication in Union County.

Resolving Bench Warrants in Union County

If you find out you have a bench warrant in Union County, talk to a criminal defense attorney first. A lawyer can check your case details and help you figure out the best way to handle it. They may file a motion to quash the warrant. This works best for old cases or minor charges. Going to court on your own terms almost always leads to a better outcome than being picked up during a traffic stop.

To resolve a Union County bench warrant:

• Hire an attorney to file a motion to quash or recall the warrant
• Turn yourself in at the Union County Jail
• Contact the sheriff at (386) 496-2501
• Call the clerk at (386) 496-3711 for case status

Watch out for scam calls. Law enforcement in Union County will never ask you to pay over the phone to clear a bench warrant. Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when a person does not appear after proper notice. All bench warrant records in Union County are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, the Sunshine Law. Anyone can request to see them.

Cities in Union County

Union County has a few small towns. All bench warrants in the county are handled through the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Lake Butler. No cities in Union County have a population over 75,000.

Places in Union County include Lake Butler, Raiford, and Worthington Springs. Bench warrants for residents of these areas are all handled at the Union County courthouse in Lake Butler.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Union County. Make sure your bench warrant is in the right county before you take action. Each county has its own clerk and sheriff that handle warrants.