Albany Bench Warrants
Albany bench warrants go through the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office. Albany is the county seat of Dougherty County in southwest Georgia, home to about 66,700 people. When a judge issues a bench warrant for a missed court date on an Albany case, the Dougherty County Sheriff processes and serves it. The Albany Police Department handles day-to-day law enforcement in the city, but the sheriff's office takes the lead on bench warrant tracking and service. There is no public online search tool for active bench warrants in Albany. To check your status, you need to reach out to the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office directly.
Albany Quick Facts
Dougherty County Sheriff and Albany Warrants
Sheriff Clinton Chappell leads the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office. His office is the main agency that processes bench warrants for Albany and the rest of Dougherty County. When a judge signs a bench warrant, the sheriff's staff log it into the county system, pull the person's criminal history, and enter the warrant into the Georgia Crime Information Center database. From there it goes into the NCIC system. That means any law enforcement officer in the country can see an active Albany bench warrant during a routine check.
The Dougherty County Sheriff's Office is at 1442 Evelyn Avenue in Albany. You can call at 229-430-6500 for general questions. However, staff typically will not confirm or deny a specific bench warrant over the phone. The standard practice is to come in person with a valid photo ID. Albany is a smaller city compared to Atlanta, so wait times tend to be shorter. But the same rule applies: if you check and there is a bench warrant, law enforcement can take you into custody right then.
| Sheriff | Clinton Chappell |
|---|---|
| Office Address | 1442 Evelyn Avenue Albany, GA 31707 Phone: 229-430-6500 |
| Albany Police | 201 W. Oglethorpe Blvd Albany, GA 31701 Phone: 229-431-2100 |
Note: The Dougherty County Sheriff serves all warrants in Albany, including bench warrants from both Superior Court and Magistrate Court.
Albany Police Department Contact
The Albany Police Department handles local law enforcement. Officers patrol the city, respond to emergencies, and conduct traffic stops. During any encounter with law enforcement, an officer can run your name and find out if there is an active bench warrant. If one comes up, you can be arrested on the spot. This is one of the most common ways bench warrants get served in Albany.
The police department is at 201 West Oglethorpe Boulevard. You can call them at 229-431-2100. They can answer general questions about law enforcement in Albany, but for bench warrant inquiries, they will point you to the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office. The police and the sheriff work together, but the sheriff is the one who manages the warrant database for the county.
How to Search for Albany Bench Warrants
Visit the Dougherty County Sheriff's Office on Evelyn Avenue in Albany. Bring a government photo ID. Staff will look up your name and date of birth in the system. If a bench warrant is active, they will share the charge, the case number, and the court that issued it. Albany is the county seat, so you do not have to drive to another city like people in many other Georgia towns do.
There is no online warrant search tool for Dougherty County. The Georgia.gov warrant search guide explains the general process that applies across the state. It covers what to bring and how warrant inquiries work at any Georgia sheriff's office. You can also check the Georgia Courts sheriff directory for the official Dougherty County listing with phone number and address.
Some Albany residents call a lawyer before going to the sheriff's office. An attorney can check on your behalf and file a motion to recall the warrant if one exists. This avoids the risk of being arrested during the inquiry. It is not required, but it is a common approach for people who think they may have an outstanding bench warrant in Albany.
Note: Dougherty County does not publish an online list of outstanding bench warrants, so an in-person visit or attorney inquiry is the only reliable method.
Penalties for Albany Bench Warrants
Missing a court date for an Albany case is a separate offense under Georgia law. For misdemeanor charges, O.C.G.A. 16-10-51 sets the penalty at up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine. For felony cases, the punishment is one to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines. These come on top of whatever the original Albany case was about. A bench warrant turns a missed court date into a new criminal charge.
Traffic bench warrants in Albany follow different rules. Under O.C.G.A. 40-13-63, failing to appear for a traffic hearing can mean a $200 fine and up to three days in jail. The court may also tell the Georgia Department of Driver Services to suspend your license. Under O.C.G.A. 40-5-56, the suspension stays until you clear the warrant and pay a reinstatement fee. That fee is $100 in person or $125 by mail. It is separate from any court fines you owe.
Georgia law does provide a grace period for some cases. Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-11, the court clerk sends a letter to the person who missed a traffic date and waits 30 days. If you handle the case in that window, the warrant may never be issued. After 30 days pass with no action, the Albany bench warrant goes active. It does not expire.
Albany Bench Warrant Legal Resources
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the state criminal database system. All Albany bench warrants entered by the Dougherty County Sheriff flow into the GBI's GCIC system. This is the database that law enforcement checks during traffic stops and arrests. If you are named on an active warrant, it will show up statewide.
Under Georgia's Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. 50-18-70, anyone can request copies of court records from government offices. You can ask the Dougherty County Clerk of Superior Court for bench warrant case files. Requests can be made in writing or in person. Having these documents helps if you are working with a lawyer to recall the warrant. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association also lists contact details for the Dougherty County Sheriff and every other sheriff in the state.
The GCIC page shows how the state tracks all criminal warrants, including bench warrants from Albany cases in Dougherty County.
Dougherty County Bench Warrants
Albany is the county seat of Dougherty County. All bench warrants from cases filed in Dougherty County courts go through the sheriff's office in Albany. For more details on the county warrant process, visit the Dougherty County page.
Nearby Cities
Valdosta is the closest qualifying city to Albany. It is in Lowndes County, about 90 miles to the southeast.