Walton County Bench Warrant Lookup

Bench warrants in Walton County are issued by judges in the 1st Judicial Circuit when someone fails to show up for court or violates a court order. The Walton County Clerk of Court and the Sheriff's Office both manage and serve these warrants from DeFuniak Springs. You can search for active bench warrants through the clerk's records, the sheriff's office, or the statewide FDLE database. All bench warrants become public records under Florida law once served. This page covers how to search for bench warrants in Walton County, the penalties for failing to appear, and how to resolve an outstanding warrant.

Walton County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Court in Walton County maintains all court case files, and that includes bench warrants. The main office is at 571 U.S. Highway 90 East in DeFuniak Springs, Florida 32433. You can call (850) 892-8115 for general questions. The Walton County government website has links to court records and county services. If you need to ask about a bench warrant, the clerk staff can look it up by name or case number during business hours. Walk-in requests are accepted at the courthouse in DeFuniak Springs.

Walton County sits in the Florida panhandle and includes popular beach areas like Destin and 30A. Despite the tourist traffic, the clerk's office in DeFuniak Springs handles all court records for the county. 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 Walton County, these warrants get entered into the system as soon as the judge signs them. Public records requests can be made by phone, mail, or in person at the clerk's office.

The FDLE homepage is shown below. The statewide warrant database pulls data from all Florida counties, including Walton County.

You can use the FDLE system to check for Walton County bench warrants from anywhere without needing to visit the courthouse in DeFuniak Springs.

Search Walton County Bench Warrants Online

Walton County provides some online access to court records. The clerk's system lets you look up cases by name or case number. For a broader search, the FDLE statewide database at fdle.state.fl.us pulls warrant data from all 67 Florida counties and gets updated 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, and violation of probation warrants from Walton County. It is free and open to the public.

The 1st Judicial Circuit covers Walton, Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties. Court records and warrant information are shared across this circuit. If you have a bench warrant in Walton County, it will show up during encounters with law enforcement in Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, and the surrounding panhandle area. The Florida Court Clerks and Comptrollers association manages the CCIS and eWarrants systems that connect all 67 county clerks statewide.

Walton County Sheriff and Warrants

The Walton County Sheriff's Office serves bench warrants in the county. They are at 75 South Davis Street in DeFuniak Springs, Florida 32435. You can call (850) 892-8066 to reach them. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state can serve a bench warrant from Walton County. The arrest can happen at any time on any day. There is no limit on when an officer can act on an active bench warrant.

If you think you have a bench warrant in Walton County, voluntary surrender is the best approach. You can turn yourself in at the Walton County Jail or contact the sheriff's office first. Because Walton County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit, warrant data is shared with Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa counties. Law enforcement across the Florida panhandle can arrest you on a Walton County bench warrant. The area sees heavy tourist traffic, especially in the beach communities along Highway 30A, and law enforcement encounters happen frequently during peak seasons.

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

Bench Warrant Penalties in Walton County

Missing court in Walton County means added legal trouble. Under Florida Statute 843.15, failure to appear on a felony charge is a third-degree felony. That can mean up to five years in prison. Failure to appear on a misdemeanor is a first-degree misdemeanor, which carries up to one year in jail. These new charges are stacked 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 have a 10-day window under Florida Statute 933.05, but bench warrants stay active indefinitely. A bench warrant from Walton County years ago is still valid and enforceable today. It will show up during a traffic stop on Highway 331, at the airport, or during any contact with law enforcement. The warrant remains 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 in Walton County.

Resolving Walton County Bench Warrants

If you find out you have a bench warrant in Walton County, talk to a criminal defense attorney first. A lawyer can review your case and figure out the best way to handle it. They may file a motion to quash the warrant, which is effective for old cases or minor charges. Going to court on your own terms is almost always the smarter choice compared to being arrested during a beach vacation or a routine drive through the panhandle.

Under Florida Statute 88.3051, a court can issue a bench warrant, capias, or writ of bodily attachment when someone does not appear after proper notice. All bench warrant records in Walton County are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, the Sunshine Law. Anyone can request to see them. Juvenile and sealed cases have some restrictions, but most bench warrants are open for public access once the return of service is filed.

Watch out for scam calls. Real law enforcement in Walton County will never ask for phone payments to clear a bench warrant. Verify through the clerk at (850) 892-8115 or the sheriff at (850) 892-8066.

Cities in Walton County

Walton County has several communities, many of them along the Gulf Coast. All bench warrants in the county are handled through the 1st Judicial Circuit Court in DeFuniak Springs. No cities in Walton County have a population over 75,000.

Places in Walton County include DeFuniak Springs, Freeport, Paxton, and the beach communities along 30A such as Santa Rosa Beach, Miramar Beach, and Inlet Beach. Bench warrants for residents of these areas are handled at the Walton County courthouse in DeFuniak Springs.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Walton 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.