Coweta County Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Coweta County are issued by judges when a person does not appear for a court date or violates the terms set by the court. Coweta County sits southwest of Atlanta with a population of about 146,000 and is one of the growing suburban counties in the metro area. The county seat is Newnan. Sheriff Lenn Wood leads the Coweta County Sheriff's Office and is in charge of all bench warrant service for local courts. Because of its location near Atlanta, Coweta County handles a significant number of court cases each year. To check on an active bench warrant in Coweta County, you will need to contact the sheriff's office in Newnan since the county does not have a public online warrant search tool.

Coweta County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Lenn Wood heads the Coweta County Sheriff's Office on Greison Trail in Newnan. The office is the primary law enforcement agency in the county and handles all bench warrant service for the local court system. When a Coweta County judge issues a bench warrant, the sheriff's office enters the information into the local system and transmits it to the Georgia Crime Information Center statewide database. From GCIC, the warrant also flows into the national NCIC system. Any law enforcement officer in the country can see a Coweta County bench warrant once it is in these systems. A traffic stop on I-85 or anywhere else in the country can lead to an arrest on the warrant.

Coweta County has grown a lot in recent years, and the sheriff's office has had to keep pace with the increase in cases and warrants. The warrant division stays busy. Call ahead or be prepared for a short wait if you visit the office in Newnan.

Note: Coweta County's I-85 corridor location means bench warrants are often discovered during routine interstate traffic stops.

How to Search Coweta County Bench Warrants

No public online tool exists for searching Coweta County bench warrants. The county does not publish warrant lists on a website. To check on a bench warrant, call the sheriff's office at 770-253-1502. Provide the full legal name and date of birth of the person. Staff will check local records and the statewide GCIC database. If they find an active bench warrant, they can tell you which court issued it and what the charge is. Basic information is usually shared over the phone.

The Coweta County Clerk of Superior Court in Newnan is another option. The clerk keeps court case files and can confirm whether a bench warrant was issued as part of a case. You need a name or case number. The clerk handles the court records while the sheriff handles the enforcement of bench warrants. If the warrant is in your name, do not go in person without thinking it through. Officers can take you into custody on the spot. Many people in the Newnan area hire a lawyer to inquire on their behalf and, if needed, file a motion to recall the bench warrant with the court.

The Georgia.gov warrant search guide outlines the steps to check on a warrant anywhere in Georgia, and the same process applies in Coweta County.

This state guide is useful for understanding the general warrant search process in Georgia.

Coweta County Bench Warrant Penalties

Failing to appear in Coweta County court triggers a bench warrant and can result in additional charges. Georgia law under O.C.G.A. 16-10-51 treats bail jumping as its own crime. For misdemeanor cases, it carries up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Felony bail jumping means one to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines. Leaving the state to dodge a Coweta County bench warrant can upgrade a misdemeanor charge to a felony. These penalties are separate from and on top of the original case.

Traffic warrants follow a different path. O.C.G.A. 40-13-63 makes willful failure to appear on a traffic citation punishable by up to $200 or three days in jail. The court reports the no-show to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, and DDS suspends the driver's license. Under O.C.G.A. 40-5-56, the suspension stays until the person pays a reinstatement fee and clears the traffic case. O.C.G.A. 17-6-11 gives a 30-day window for some traffic cases. If the person handles the citation within that time, the bench warrant might not be issued.

Coweta County Warrant Records

Bench warrants in Coweta County are public records under Georgia's Open Records Act. O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 allows anyone to request records from a government agency. Warrants that have been served are open for inspection. Unserved warrants may be withheld. Send a written request to the Coweta County Clerk of Court or the sheriff's office. Include the person's name, case number if known, and what records you are after. The office must respond within three business days.

Coweta County Bench Warrant Resources

State resources can assist with bench warrant searches in Coweta County. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation maintains the GCIC database and runs a fugitive tip line at 1-800-597-8477. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory includes Sheriff Wood and the Coweta County office with current contact information. The Georgia Courts sheriff directory is another way to confirm the right phone number and address before reaching out about a bench warrant in the Newnan area.

Cities in Coweta County

Coweta County includes Newnan and several smaller communities. All bench warrants issued by Coweta County courts are served by the sheriff's office in Newnan.

Nearby Counties

If your bench warrant was filed in a different county, contact that county's sheriff for information. These counties border Coweta County.