What is a bench warrant in Florida? How do you find out if you have a bench warrant? And what can you do about it? We answer all your questions about Florida bench warrants here, from different types of warrants to how to find out if one has been made in your name, as well as what to do (and not do) when a bench warrant has been issued for you.
What is a bench warrant meaning in Florida? And are all warrants the same? No, there are actually two different kinds of warrants. A judge may issue a bench warrant Florida or an arrest warrant, depending on the circumstances. The Florida statute governing warrants is found in the title of Criminal Procedure and Corrections, in Chapter 901.
Bench warrants are made when you:
What is a bench warrant in Florida? It is the most common kind of warrants sometimes called failure-to-appear, or FTA, warrant. A bench warrant starts with a judge and basically orders you to appear for a court date at a specific time and place and gives police officers the power to arrest you no matter where you are. They’re usually used for minor offenses, like not showing up for traffic court or a legal hearing. Even if you’re not at fault for missing a court date, such as if the notice got lost in the mail or went to the wrong address, a ticket warrant can still be issued. The courts always require and expect some kind of response. Going AWOL doesn’t work well here.
An arrest warrant is different because it involves a criminal investigation. Police officers start the process by gathering evidence and presenting it to a judge to ask for an arrest warrant to be issued. You’ll most often see these types of warrants if you watch crime shows.
Both types of warrants can end the same way: you turning yourself in or being arrested and taken to court by force. You can be arrested on the spot for a ticket warrant or bench warrant. However, it’s unlikely you’ll be tracked down by police solely for a bench warrant. In most cases, you’ll have broken an unrelated law, like speeding, and when looking up your information the officer will see you have a bench warrant for speeding tickets and will almost certainly take you into custody then. You should also know that warrants do not have an expiration date, and they will not go away on their own with time.
How can you find out if you have a bench warrant in your name in Florida? The most reliable way is to call the county courthouse clerk or local police department and ask for a bench warrant traffic ticket search to be run. They will have the most reliable information in their system.
If you want to remain anonymous, there is an online option. The state of Florida maintains a public database through the Florida Crime Information Center. Law enforcement agencies submit records from the entire state here. You can search these records using the full name, sex, race, and age or date of birth of the person with the suspected warrant. Be careful, though, because the online information may not be entirely accurate or up-to-date.
If you’ve confirmed a bench warrant for traffic violation has been issued for you, and you want to avoid being arrested by police, you need to take action. You have three options: