Savannah Bench Warrants
Savannah bench warrants are handled through the Chatham County court system and the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. Savannah is the county seat and the largest city in Chatham County with about 148,000 residents. Bench warrants in Savannah come from the Superior Court, State Court, Magistrate Court, and the Recorder's Court of Savannah when someone misses a court date or violates bond terms. The sheriff's office processes each warrant and enters it into the state and federal databases. Checking your status starts with the sheriff's office, and there is no public online search portal for Savannah warrants.
Savannah Quick Facts
Chatham County Sheriff Warrants for Savannah
Sheriff Richard Coleman heads the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. The office processes all bench warrants from courts serving Savannah. You can reach the sheriff at 912-652-7600 for general questions. Each bench warrant goes through a standard process. Staff enter it into the local records system, then it moves to the GCIC database run by the Georgia Crime Information Center. After that, the warrant goes into the NCIC system. An active Savannah bench warrant shows up on any name check a police officer runs anywhere in the country.
The Savannah Police Department at 201 Habersham Street is the main law enforcement agency in the city. Officers encounter bench warrants during stops and calls. You can contact SPD at 912-651-6675 for general questions. But the police department is not the place to go for a formal warrant check. That goes through the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff is the one with full access to the warrant database for cases filed in Savannah courts.
| Sheriff | Richard Coleman |
|---|---|
| Phone | 912-652-7600 |
| Savannah Police | 201 Habersham St Savannah, GA 31401 Phone: 912-651-6675 |
Note: The Chatham County Sheriff does not share warrant info by email or online. You must call or visit in person.
How to Search Savannah Bench Warrants
Contact the Chatham County Sheriff at 912-652-7600. That is the starting point. Ask about active bench warrants on your name. Some staff may share basic info over the phone, but the safest bet is to visit in person with a photo ID. They will run your name and date of birth through the system. If a bench warrant shows up, you will learn the issuing court, the charge, and the case number.
The Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court maintains case files for all superior court cases in Savannah. If you know the case number, the clerk can tell you whether a bench warrant is attached to it. This is helpful when you already know you missed a date and want to see what happened in your case. The Recorder's Court of Savannah handles traffic and city ordinance violations, and bench warrants from that court follow the same path through the sheriff's office.
The Georgia.gov warrant search guide covers the process for any county. It is a useful resource if you want to understand the steps before you call or visit the Chatham County Sheriff about a Savannah bench warrant. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists the contact info for Sheriff Coleman and every other sheriff in the state.
This page shows the Georgia statute that governs bench warrant issuance. The same law, O.C.G.A. 17-7-90, applies to every bench warrant issued in Savannah.
Savannah Bench Warrant Penalties
Failing to appear in a Savannah court has clear penalties. Under O.C.G.A. 16-10-51, bail jumping on a misdemeanor case carries up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine. If the charge was a felony, the person faces one to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. These stack on top of the original case. So missing court in Savannah can double the legal trouble.
Traffic cases in Savannah fall under O.C.G.A. 40-13-63. A failure to appear on a traffic ticket can lead to a $200 fine and up to three days in jail. The Recorder's Court often handles these cases. The court may report the missed date to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, which can suspend your license under O.C.G.A. 40-5-56. The cost to reinstate a suspended license is $100 at a DDS office or $125 by mail. That is separate from fines owed to the Savannah court.
Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-11, the court clerk must mail a notice letter and wait 30 days before a traffic bench warrant goes active in Savannah. If you respond within those 30 days, the judge may decide not to issue the warrant. After that window closes, the bench warrant goes into the system and has no expiration date. A Savannah bench warrant from five years ago is just as active as one from last week.
Dealing with a Savannah Bench Warrant
Do not ignore it. That is the main thing. A bench warrant in Savannah will not go away on its own. You can turn yourself in at the Chatham County Sheriff's Office. The judge will typically reset the case and may allow you to post bond again. You can also call the court clerk to ask about your options. Some judges in Savannah allow people to resolve the matter at the next available hearing without spending time in custody.
An attorney can help a lot with this process. A lawyer in Savannah can file a motion to recall the bench warrant on your behalf. The judge reviews the motion and decides whether to bring you back on the calendar without an arrest. This is the safer path for people who want to avoid being taken into custody. The lawyer handles the paperwork and the court appearance. You show up only when the judge says to.
Georgia's Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 lets you request court records from the Chatham County Clerk. Getting a copy of the bench warrant and the case file helps you and your lawyer prepare. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains the statewide database, and the Georgia Courts directory can point you to the right contacts in Savannah.
Note: Bench warrants in Savannah do not expire and can lead to an arrest during any encounter with law enforcement.
Chatham County Bench Warrants
Savannah sits in Chatham County, and all court cases and bench warrant processing for the city go through the county system. For more on the full Chatham County warrant process, contacts, and additional legal resources, see the county page.
Nearby Cities
Pooler is the nearest qualifying city to Savannah. It falls within Chatham County and uses the same sheriff's office for bench warrant processing.