Candler County Bench Warrants

Candler County bench warrants come from the Superior Court and Magistrate Court in Metter when a person misses a court date or breaks the terms of a bond agreement. The Candler County Sheriff's Office handles all active warrants and keeps records on file at the office on PO Box 693 in Metter. If you want to search for a bench warrant in Candler County, you can call the sheriff or go to the courthouse in person. Online search tools are not available for this small county in southeast Georgia. Knowing how the process works in Candler County can help you deal with the situation faster and avoid extra trouble down the road.

Candler County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff John Miles runs the Candler County Sheriff's Office, which is the main agency that deals with bench warrants in the county. When a judge in Candler County signs a bench warrant, the sheriff's office gets it next. Staff log the warrant into the local system and then send the data to the Georgia Crime Information Center database. Once in that state system, the warrant shows up for law enforcement across Georgia and through the National Crime Information Center. The sheriff's office in Metter is the place to go for all warrant questions in Candler County.

You can call 912-685-2568 to reach the Candler County Sheriff's Office. Staff may not give out specific warrant details on the phone. Most people who need to check on a bench warrant in Candler County go in person with a valid photo ID. The office is open on weekdays during normal business hours. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists contact info for all sheriffs in Georgia, including Candler County.

Note: The Candler County Sheriff's Office does not have a public online warrant search tool at this time.

Bench Warrant Search in Candler County

There is no online search portal for Candler County bench warrants. This is typical for smaller Georgia counties that lack the budget for web-based warrant tools. Your best bet is to call the sheriff's office or visit the Candler County Courthouse in Metter. The Clerk of Superior Court holds records for all cases filed in the county and can sometimes confirm if a bench warrant was issued in a specific case. Bring a photo ID if you go in person.

The Georgia.gov warrant search guide walks through the general steps for checking on an active warrant in any Georgia county. The guide explains that most counties need an in-person visit, especially for bench warrants. Candler County follows this same approach. You bring your ID to the sheriff's office or the courthouse, and they run your name through their records. If there is a match, you get details about the warrant and what you need to do next.

This state guide shows the steps for checking on an outstanding bench warrant in Candler County through official channels.

Candler County Warrant Penalties

Missing a court date in Candler County leads to real problems. Georgia law treats a failure to appear as its own offense. For misdemeanor cases, bail jumping under O.C.G.A. 16-10-51 can bring up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine on top of whatever the first charge was. If the case was a felony, the penalty goes up to one to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines. The bench warrant itself does not carry a sentence. The charge of failing to appear is what brings the extra punishment. Candler County judges enforce these penalties regularly.

Traffic cases work a bit differently in Candler County. Under O.C.G.A. 40-13-63, missing a traffic hearing can result in 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. Getting your license back costs $100 at a DDS office or $125 by mail. That fee stacks on top of fines from the original Candler County case.

Georgia law does allow a grace period. Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-11, the clerk of court must send a written notice and wait 30 days before the warrant goes active in traffic cases. If you handle it in that window, the court may cancel the warrant before it enters the system.

State Agencies and Candler County

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation works with local sheriff's offices statewide, including Candler County. The GBI does not issue bench warrants but runs databases that track them. The Georgia Crime Information Center is the main state database where Candler County bench warrants end up after the sheriff's office processes them. This system connects to the national NCIC database, so a bench warrant from Candler County can show up during a traffic stop anywhere in the country.

The Georgia Courts sheriff directory is another official resource listing the Candler County Sheriff's Office and its contact information. If you are unsure which office to call or where to go, that directory is a solid starting point. Candler County operates under the Middle Judicial Circuit, which covers several counties in the region.

Note: Bench warrants entered into GCIC are accessible to all law enforcement in Georgia, not just Candler County officers.

Open Records in Candler County

Georgia's Open Records Act under O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 gives anyone the right to request public records from government offices. This includes bench warrant records held by the Candler County Clerk of Court or the sheriff's office. You can make the request in person at the courthouse in Metter or send it in writing. The office has three business days to respond to most requests. Some records may take longer if they need to be pulled from storage.

Bench warrants are public records once they have been issued. The court file for the underlying case is also public in most situations. Some records may be sealed if they involve juvenile cases or certain sensitive matters. But a typical bench warrant for a missed court date in Candler County is available to anyone who asks. There is no fee for the initial request, though the office may charge for copies.

Nearby Counties

Bench warrants are county-specific in Georgia. The county where your case was filed holds the warrant. If you are not sure which county issued your bench warrant, check the court paperwork or call the Candler County Sheriff's Office at 912-685-2568. These counties border Candler County.