Canton Bench Warrants

Canton bench warrants are issued by judges in the Canton Municipal Court and Cherokee County courts when a person fails to show up for a scheduled court date. The city has more than 38,000 residents and sits in the northern part of the Atlanta metro area. Cherokee County handles most warrant processing for Canton through the sheriff's office. The Canton Police Department can give basic guidance on warrant matters, but the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is where most bench warrant records are stored and tracked for Canton cases. Searching for active warrants starts with that office.

Canton Municipal Court Warrants

The Canton Municipal Court handles city ordinance cases and some misdemeanor charges that fall within city limits. When a person misses a court date at this court, the judge can issue a bench warrant that same day. These warrants are sent to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office for processing. The sheriff's staff logs each one into the system and enters it into the Georgia Crime Information Center database. That means any law enforcement officer in the state can see an active Canton bench warrant during a routine traffic stop or other encounter.

Canton Municipal Court is on East Marietta Street in downtown Canton. You can call the court to ask about a case, but court staff cannot clear a bench warrant by phone. Only the judge who issued the warrant can recall it. For cases that go through Cherokee County Superior Court or the Magistrate Court, you deal with the Cherokee County Clerk of Court instead of the municipal court staff.

Note: Canton bench warrants stay active until the person appears before the judge or is taken into custody.

Cherokee County Sheriff and Canton Warrants

Sheriff Frank Reynolds runs the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, which processes all bench warrants for cases filed in Cherokee County courts. That includes every warrant that comes out of Canton. The sheriff's office handles warrant intake, logging, and database entry for the entire county. Each warrant goes through a set of steps. Staff pull up the person's history, log the new warrant, and enter the data into the GCIC and NCIC systems so it is visible to law enforcement across the state and the country.

There is no online tool to look up outstanding bench warrants in Canton or Cherokee County at this time. The sheriff's office does not share warrant status by phone or email for most cases. You need to go in person with a valid photo ID. Be aware that if you have an active bench warrant, staff may take you into custody on the spot. Some people in Canton choose to hire a lawyer to check on their behalf to avoid that risk. The sheriff's office is at the Cherokee County Justice Center. You can reach them at 678-493-4200.

The Canton Police Department website has general contact details and information about the department's services.

This page from the Canton Police Department site shows their contact info and department resources that can help with bench warrant questions in Canton.

How to Search for Canton Bench Warrants

Start at the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. Bring a government photo ID. Staff will look up your name and date of birth in their system. If a bench warrant shows up, they will tell you the charge, the court that issued it, and the case number. That is the most direct way to check for an active warrant in Canton. The office is open on weekdays during normal business hours.

You can also call the Canton Police Department at 770-720-4883 for general questions. Officers run into bench warrants during traffic stops and calls for service, but they typically do not run warrant checks for walk-in requests at the station. The Georgia Crime Information Center maintains the statewide database that law enforcement uses to check for active warrants. When a bench warrant is issued in Canton, it goes into this system. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists contact details for every sheriff in the state, which is useful if you are not sure which county issued your warrant.

Bench Warrant Penalties in Canton

Missing a court date in Canton comes with real consequences. The judge issues a bench warrant and the case goes forward without you. Under O.C.G.A. 16-10-51, bail jumping on a misdemeanor charge carries up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine. If the original case was a felony, the penalty jumps to one to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Those penalties are on top of whatever the original charge was.

Traffic bench warrants in Canton have their own rules. Under O.C.G.A. 40-13-63, failing to appear for a traffic case can mean a $200 fine and up to three days in jail. The court may also ask the Georgia Department of Driver Services to suspend your license under O.C.G.A. 40-5-56. Getting the license back costs $100 at a DDS office or $125 by mail. That fee is separate from any fines or court costs you still owe.

Georgia law does give a short grace period in some cases. Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-11, the clerk of court must send a notice letter and wait 30 days before a traffic bench warrant goes active. If you deal with the case in that window, the court may not issue the warrant at all. But after 30 days, the Canton bench warrant takes full effect and stays active with no end date.

Canton Warrants and Public Records

Georgia's Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 gives any person the right to ask for public records from government agencies. Bench warrant records are part of the court system and are generally open to the public. You can make a records request to the Cherokee County Clerk of Superior Court or the Magistrate Court. Requests can be made in person or in writing.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also plays a role in warrant tracking across the state. The GBI runs the Georgia Crime Information Center, which is the central database that holds warrant records from every county in Georgia. When a bench warrant is issued in Canton, it goes into this system so that officers across Georgia can see it. The GBI does not handle individual warrant inquiries from the public, but the data it maintains is what law enforcement uses to find people with active bench warrants in Canton and everywhere else in the state.

Resolving a Canton Bench Warrant

The best way to deal with a bench warrant in Canton is to address it before law enforcement finds you. You have a few options. The simplest path is to show up at court and turn yourself in. The judge will set a new date and may let you post bond again. Some Canton courts hold special sessions from time to time where people can come in and reset their cases without being taken into custody on the spot.

Hiring a lawyer is another option that many people in Canton use. An attorney can go to the court on your behalf and ask the judge to recall the bench warrant. This works well for people who are worried about being arrested when they walk into the courthouse. The lawyer can also negotiate with the prosecutor and set up a new court date. The Georgia Courts sheriff directory can help you find the right office to contact if you are not sure which court in Canton issued the warrant.

Note: The longer a bench warrant sits active in Canton, the more likely it is to cause problems during a traffic stop or routine police contact.

Cherokee County Bench Warrants

Canton sits in Cherokee County, and all bench warrants from Cherokee County courts go through the sheriff's office. The county has a growing population with more than 260,000 residents. For a full breakdown of the Cherokee County warrant process, sheriff contact details, and all related resources, visit the county page.

View Cherokee County Bench Warrants

Nearby Cities

Several cities near Canton are in Cherokee County or neighboring counties. If you are not sure where a bench warrant was filed, check the court listed on any paperwork you have. Each city below has its own page with local contacts and warrant search details.