Duval County Warrant Search

Individuals can perform a warrant search in Duval County to check for warrants issued by state and local law enforcement agencies. Florida laws allow a court to issue a warrant to a law enforcement officer authorizing them to arrest an individual if probable cause is established that they committed a crime.

The warrant search process generally involves contacting the government agency overseeing the type of warrant being inquired about and providing key information (name, case number, warrant number, etc.) to facilitate a search. Some of these agencies also have websites and databases for conducting warrant searches online. Warrants are part of court records, as they are court-issued, and arrest warrants may also form part of Duval County arrest records.

Are Warrants Public Records?

Yes. Under the Florida Sunshine law (Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes), warrants are public records as they are created by a government institution. Although warrants are open to the public for inspection and copying like other public records, there are some limitations to accessing them. If the warrant information compromises an ongoing case or endangers the life and safety of the parties involved, it may be exempt from public disclosure.

Types of Warrants in Duval County

The most common types of warrants issued in Duval County and Florida in general include the following:

• Arrest warrants
• Search warrants
• Bench warrants
• Fugitive warrants
• Alias warrants

Do I Have a Warrant in Duval County?

To find out if a person has a warrant in Duval County, the state and local resources available for performing in-person or online searches include the following:

• The Duval County Clerk of the Circuit Court's Office
• Duval County Sheriff's Office (Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)
• Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Wanted Person Search tool.
• Third-party online databases

Active Warrant Search in Duval

As there are different types of warrants, the process for conducting an active warrant search differs depending on the type of warrant information required. The general process for finding active warrants is as follows:

• Contact the custodian of the warrant you are searching for: Different warrants have different custodians, and some of them may provide a website or databases for individuals to conduct an active warrant search online.
• Visit the online records search tool and enter the required criteria for retrieving the warrant information. This can include name, case number, or warrant number.
• Review the search results to find the requested active warrant information.

Arrest Warrant Search

To conduct an arrest warrant search, individuals can visit the Duval County Sheriff's Office (Jacksonville Sheriff's Office), as they are the primary law enforcement agency in the county. Per Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, law information is required to provide warrant information to people who request it unless it jeopardizes an ongoing investigation. They also offer an online database of active warrants through their website. To use this tool, individuals visit the sheriff's office website and go to the warrants search page. Then, they can find arrest warrants either by name or warrant number. The records section of the sheriff's office can be contacted to provide more information on arrest warrants that are not available online. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) also has a free search tool available to find all active warrants, including arrests, all over Florida. The contact information for the sheriff's office is as follows:

Duval County Sheriff's Office (Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)
501 E. Bay St.,
Jacksonville.
Phone: (904) 630-0500

Bench Warrant Lookup

Individuals seeking to conduct a bench warrant search in Duval County can contact the Clerk of Court, who maintains all court-related documents. The records are available in person at their office or online using their official records search tool. The steps for finding a bench warrant online using this tool are as follows:

• Visit the records search page and select "Doc type" as an avenue for searching
• Select "WARRANT (WRT)" as the document type and state the specific date range within which the search will be conducted
• Find the specific warrant from the results displayed

Free Warrant Search

Individuals interested in conducting a free warrant search can do so using the following free search options:

• Duval County Sheriff's Office: Individuals can contact the Duval County Sheriff's Office (Jacksonville Sheriff's Office) to inquire about active warrants or visit their website, as they are the primary law enforcement agency in the county. By providing basic information such as the individual's name, a warrant search can be conducted for free as long as the records are not legally restricted.
• Duval County Clerk of Court's Office: The Clerk's office maintains access to court and other public records in Duval County. If a case goes to court, criminal records could include the individual's warrant information.
• Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE): This department offers a state-wide database for finding warrant information in Florida. By conducting a lookup using their Wanted Person search tool, individuals can find different types of warrant information using keywords like first name, last name, nickname, sex, date of birth, and age.

Can You Check Warrants Online?

Yes, interested members of the public can check for warrants online. In addition to government resources (Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) wanted persons to search and the Duval County Sheriff's Office active arrest warrants search), third-party websites and other unofficial resources offer a database of warrants from various counties and states for interested individuals to conduct a warrant check online. Fugitive, police, and arrest warrants can be searched on these websites using information like any of the person's names (first, middle, or last name).

For privacy purposes and because the government agency in charge of the case has not yet updated the information, not all warrant information is available online. Detailed information about the warrant, such as the presiding judge, and up-to-date information about the case or charges may not be obtained during an online warrant search.

Do Warrants Expire?

No. Warrants remain active indefinitely once issued in Duval County and other counties in Florida. Thus, no matter how much time has passed since the warrant was issued, law enforcement officers can execute an arrest on the individual named on the warrant. Factors such as the type of warrant issued, evidence, judicial oversight, execution procedures, and other legal challenges can impact a warrant's validity and execution.

How to Clear a Warrant Without Going to Jail

It is possible to clear a warrant without going to jail, but the process depends on the type of charge and where the case is pending (whether it is a federal or state case). The possible steps for clearing a warrant include the following:

• Retain a local criminal defense lawyer to determine why the warrant was issued and whether it can be recalled or quashed. Warrants for felonies cannot be recalled or quashed.
• The lawyer files a motion with the prosecutor with jurisdiction over the case to dismiss the charges, get an "own recognizance" (OR) release, or get a future court date
• If the motion is granted, the warrant is dismissed, and the lawyer defends the individual for the charges in the subsequent trial.