Washington County Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Washington County are issued by judges in the 14th Judicial Circuit when a person misses a court date or fails to follow a court order. The Washington County Clerk of Court and the Sheriff's Office both track and serve these warrants from Chipley. You can search for active bench warrants through the clerk's office, the sheriff, or the statewide FDLE database. All bench warrants are public records under Florida law once served. This page goes through how to find bench warrants in Washington County, what happens if you miss court, and how to take care of an outstanding warrant before it causes more problems.

Washington County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Court in Washington County keeps all court case files, including bench warrants. The office is at 1293 Jackson Avenue in Chipley, Florida 32428. You can call (850) 638-6289 for questions about a case or to check on a warrant. The clerk handles all filings for the 14th Judicial Circuit courts in Washington County. Walk-in requests are taken during normal business hours at the courthouse in Chipley. If you need to ask about a bench warrant, the clerk staff can look it up by name or case number.

Washington County is a small, rural county in the Florida panhandle. With a population of about 26,500, the court system here handles fewer cases than larger urban counties. But the same Florida laws apply everywhere. 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 Washington County, warrants get entered into the system as soon as the judge signs them. Electronic signatures have been valid on Florida warrants since July 2013, and even smaller counties like Washington use them.

Search Washington County Warrants Online

Washington County does not have a large online court records portal. For online bench warrant searches, the primary resource is the statewide FDLE database at fdle.state.fl.us. The FDLE system pulls warrant data from all 67 Florida counties, including Washington County, and gets updated every 24 hours. You can search by first name, last name, or date of birth. The database includes 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 association connects all 67 county clerk offices statewide, including Washington County.

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

The 14th Judicial Circuit covers Washington, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties. Court records and warrant data are shared across this circuit. A bench warrant from Washington County will show up during encounters with law enforcement in Panama City and the surrounding panhandle area. If you are not sure which county your warrant is from, checking with the clerks in neighboring circuit counties is a good idea.

Note: For the most current bench warrant information in Washington County, contact the clerk directly at (850) 638-6289 rather than relying only on online sources.

Washington County Sheriff Warrants

The Washington County Sheriff's Office serves bench warrants in the county. They share the same address as the clerk at 1293 Jackson Avenue in Chipley, Florida 32428. You can call (850) 638-6111 to reach them. The sheriff's office is the primary agency responsible for locating and arresting people with active bench warrants in Washington County. Under Florida Statute 901.04, any sheriff in the state can serve a bench warrant. A warrant from Washington County can be executed in any other Florida county at any time.

If you think you have a bench warrant in Washington County, turning yourself in is the smart approach. You can do this at the Washington County Jail or by contacting the sheriff's office first. Because Washington County is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit, warrant data is shared with Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties. Law enforcement in Panama City Beach and surrounding areas will see Washington County bench warrants in their systems during traffic stops and other encounters.

Washington County Bench Warrant Penalties

Failing to show up for court in Washington County brings added charges. 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 carrying up to one year in jail. These charges are on top of the original case. The bench warrant is a separate legal problem from whatever brought you to court in the first place. Washington County judges handle failure to appear the same as every other county in Florida.

Florida bench warrants do not expire. Search warrants have a 10-day limit under Florida Statute 933.05, but bench warrants stay active with no end date. A bench warrant from years ago in Washington County is still valid and enforceable today. It will come up during a traffic stop on Interstate 10, which runs through Washington County, or during any other law enforcement contact. 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.

Resolving Bench Warrants in Washington County

If you have a bench warrant in Washington County, get legal advice before taking action. A criminal defense attorney can review your case and help figure out the best plan. They may file a motion to quash or recall the warrant. This works best for old cases or less serious charges. Going to court on your own terms is almost always a better outcome than being arrested during a drive through the panhandle on I-10.

To handle a Washington County bench warrant:

• Hire an attorney to file a motion to quash the warrant
• Turn yourself in at the Washington County Jail
• Contact the sheriff at (850) 638-6111
• Call the clerk at (850) 638-6289 for case status

Beware of scam calls. Law enforcement in Washington County will never ask for phone payments 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 Washington County are public under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, the Sunshine Law. Anyone can request to see them without being part of the case. Juvenile records and sealed cases have restrictions, but most bench warrants in Washington County are open for public access.

Cities in Washington County

Washington County has a few small towns. All bench warrants in the county are handled through the 14th Judicial Circuit Court in Chipley. No cities in Washington County have a population over 75,000.

Places in Washington County include Chipley, Vernon, Caryville, Ebro, and Wausau. Bench warrants for residents of these areas are all handled at the Washington County courthouse in Chipley.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Washington 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.