Find Volusia County Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Volusia County are issued by judges in the 7th Judicial Circuit when someone fails to show up for court or violates a court order. The Volusia County Clerk of Court and the Sheriff's Office both play a role in tracking and serving these warrants out of DeLand. You can search for active bench warrants through the clerk's online court records, the sheriff's website, or the FDLE statewide database. All bench warrants become public records under Florida law once served. This page covers the best ways to search for, understand, and resolve bench warrants in Volusia County.

Volusia County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Court in Volusia County maintains all court case files, and that includes bench warrants. The main office is at 123 West Indiana Avenue in DeLand, Florida 32720. You can call (386) 736-5915 for questions about a case or to check on a warrant. The Volusia County Clerk website provides access to court records, public records requests, and case search tools. Walk-in requests are taken during normal business hours. The clerk handles all filings for the 7th Judicial Circuit courts in Volusia County.

Volusia County is one of the larger counties in Florida with over 600,000 residents. The clerk's office processes a high volume of cases each year. Public records requests for bench warrant documents can be made by phone, mail, or in person at the courthouse in DeLand. Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge issues a bench warrant when probable cause exists and a person has failed to follow a court order. In Volusia County, warrants are entered into the system as soon as the judge signs them. Electronic signatures have been valid since July 2013.

Search Volusia County Bench Warrants Online

Volusia County has an online court records system for looking up bench warrants and other case information from home. The clerk's database lets you search by name, case number, or date filed. You can check criminal, civil, and traffic records. Results show details like charges, filing dates, and case status. You can see if a bench warrant is active or has been served. Keep in mind that the system gets updated on a set schedule, so new warrants may take a short time to appear in Volusia County search results.

The FDLE statewide database at fdle.state.fl.us is another way to check for Volusia County bench warrants. The state system pulls data from all 67 Florida counties and updates every 24 hours. Search by first name, last name, or date of birth. The database covers outstanding arrest warrants, failure to appear capias warrants, direct capias warrants, fugitive warrants, and violation of probation warrants. It is free and open to the public. FDLE notes that their data should not be relied on as the sole basis for legal action.

The 7th Judicial Circuit covers Volusia, St. Johns, Flagler, and Putnam counties. Court records and warrant data flow between all four counties through the circuit system. A bench warrant from Volusia County will show up during encounters with law enforcement in any of these nearby circuit counties.

Volusia County Sheriff Warrants

Sheriff Michael J. Chitwood leads the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, which serves bench warrants in the county. The office is at 123 West Indiana Avenue in DeLand, Florida 32720. The Volusia County Sheriff website has information about public records requests, daily activity reports, and alert signups. The sheriff's office also runs the FUSUS "Connect Volusia" program. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state can serve a Volusia County bench warrant. The arrest can happen at any time on any day.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office website is shown below and provides information about warrants and law enforcement services.

If you believe you have a bench warrant in Volusia County, the sheriff's office recommends voluntary surrender. You can turn yourself in at the Volusia County Jail or call the sheriff's office first to find out what to expect. Turning yourself in leads to better results than being arrested during a traffic stop on I-4 or I-95, both of which run through Volusia County. With a population over 600,000, Volusia County has significant law enforcement presence and bench warrants are actively pursued.

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

Volusia County Bench Warrant Penalties

Missing court in Volusia County leads to real consequences. Under Florida Statute 843.15, failure to appear on a felony charge is a third-degree felony with 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 stacked on top of the original case. The bench warrant is a separate legal issue from whatever brought you to court in the first place. Volusia County judges take failure to appear seriously, and the additional charges stay on your record until resolved.

Florida bench warrants do not have a time limit. Search warrants expire after 10 days under Florida Statute 933.05, but bench warrants stay active indefinitely. A bench warrant from years ago in Volusia County is still valid and enforceable today. It will come up during a traffic stop, at the airport, or during any contact with law enforcement. The warrant stays in the FCIC and NCIC databases. 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 for sentencing or adjudication.

Resolving Bench Warrants in Volusia County

Finding out about a bench warrant in Volusia County means you need to act. The first step is talking to a criminal defense attorney. A lawyer can review your case and help you decide the best course of action. They may file a motion to quash the warrant, which is often effective for old cases or less serious charges. Going voluntarily is almost always the better path compared to being arrested without warning at a traffic stop or at your home.

Options to resolve a Volusia County bench warrant:

• Hire an attorney to file a motion to quash or recall the warrant
• Turn yourself in at the Volusia County Jail in DeLand
• Contact the sheriff's office for guidance
• Call the clerk at (386) 736-5915 for case status
• Check the FDLE database for warrant details

Beware of phone scams. Real law enforcement in Volusia County will never ask for payments 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 fails to appear after proper notice. All bench warrant records in Volusia County are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, the Sunshine Law. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association connects all 67 county clerk offices through the eWarrants and CCIS systems, making Volusia County warrant data available to law enforcement across the state.

Cities in Volusia County

Volusia County has many cities and towns. All bench warrants in the county are handled through the 7th Judicial Circuit Court in DeLand. Deltona and Daytona Beach are the cities in Volusia County with a population over 75,000.

Other places in Volusia County include DeLand, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, Edgewater, Holly Hill, and DeBary. Bench warrants for residents of these areas are handled at the Volusia County courthouse in DeLand.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Volusia 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.