Dade County Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Dade County are issued by judges when someone misses a court date or breaks the conditions of their release. Dade County sits in the extreme northwest corner of Georgia, bordered by Tennessee to the north and Alabama to the west. Walker County is the only Georgia county that shares a border with Dade. The population is around 16,000, and the county seat is Trenton. Sheriff Ray Cross leads the Dade County Sheriff's Office and handles all bench warrant service for the local court system. Because Dade County is surrounded on three sides by other states, bench warrants here can lead to interstate complications quickly. To check on a bench warrant in Dade County, contact the sheriff's office in Trenton. There is no online warrant search for this county.

Dade County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Ray Cross runs the Dade County Sheriff's Office on Case Avenue in Trenton. The office is responsible for serving all warrants issued by Dade County courts, including bench warrants from Superior Court, Magistrate Court, and Probate Court. When a judge signs a bench warrant in Dade County, the sheriff's staff log it locally and push it to the Georgia Crime Information Center database. GCIC connects to the national NCIC network. That means Tennessee and Alabama law enforcement can see a Dade County bench warrant just as easily as Georgia officers can. Given Dade County's location, many residents work or travel across state lines every day, so an active bench warrant can cause problems fast.

Dade County is small. The sheriff's office handles everything from patrol to warrants to jail operations with a limited staff. If no one answers when you call, try again during regular business hours.

Note: Dade County's unique geography means bench warrants are frequently encountered by Tennessee and Alabama law enforcement.

How to Search Dade County Bench Warrants

Dade County does not have a public online warrant search tool. No active warrant list is posted on any county website. To find out if there is a bench warrant in your name, call the sheriff's office at 706-657-3233. You will need the full legal name and date of birth of the person you are asking about. Staff can check the local system and the GCIC statewide database for active bench warrants. If one turns up, they can tell you which court issued it and what the charge is.

The Dade County Clerk of Superior Court in Trenton also keeps court records and can confirm whether a bench warrant was issued in a particular case. The clerk handles the court file while the sheriff handles enforcement. If you are worried about being arrested, do not go in person. Call the sheriff's office or have a lawyer check for you. An attorney can look into the bench warrant and work with the Dade County court to get things resolved safely. Having legal help is especially important in a border county like Dade, where crossing into Tennessee or Alabama with an active bench warrant creates additional risks.

The Georgia.gov warrant search guide explains how warrant searches work across Georgia, including Dade County.

This state resource covers the standard steps for checking on a warrant in any Georgia county.

Dade County Bench Warrant Penalties

Failing to appear in Dade County court leads to a bench warrant and separate charges. 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. Felony bail jumping means one to five years and up to $5,000 in fines. These penalties stack on top of the original case. Leaving Georgia is particularly relevant for Dade County residents since many cross state lines daily. Crossing into Tennessee or Alabama to avoid a bench warrant can bump a misdemeanor up to a felony. The penalties are serious no matter how small the original case seemed.

Traffic bench warrants follow O.C.G.A. 40-13-63. The penalty is up to $200 or three days in jail. The court reports the failure to appear to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, and DDS will suspend the driver's license under O.C.G.A. 40-5-56. Reinstatement costs $100 at a DDS office or $125 by mail. For some traffic offenses, O.C.G.A. 17-6-11 provides a 30-day grace period where the clerk sends a notice before the bench warrant goes into full effect.

Dade County Warrant Records

Bench warrant records in Dade County are public under Georgia's Open Records Act. O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 gives anyone the right to request records from government offices. Served warrants are open for inspection. Unserved warrants may be restricted. File a written request with the Dade County Clerk of Court or the sheriff's office. Include the full name, case number if available, and the type of records you want. The law requires a response within three business days.

Dade County Bench Warrant Resources

State agencies can help with bench warrant research in Dade County. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation runs the GCIC statewide database and accepts fugitive tips at 1-800-597-8477. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists Sheriff Cross and the Dade County office. The Georgia Courts sheriff directory is another place to verify the phone number and mailing address for the Dade County Sheriff before reaching out about a bench warrant in the Trenton area.

Nearby Counties

Walker County is the only Georgia county that borders Dade County. Dade County also borders Tennessee and Alabama. If your case was filed in Walker County, contact the Walker County Sheriff for bench warrant info.