Quitman County Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Quitman County are issued by judges when a person misses a scheduled court hearing or violates the conditions of their bond. Quitman County is one of the smallest counties in Georgia with a population of about 2,300 people. The county seat is Georgetown, and the Quitman County Sheriff's Office on Main Street handles all active warrants. If you need to find out about a bench warrant in Quitman County, you will have to contact the sheriff directly. There is no online search tool, and with such a small population, the office staff may be able to help you fairly quickly. A phone call or in-person visit to the courthouse in Georgetown is how people here check on bench warrant status.

Quitman County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff James Marshall leads the Quitman County Sheriff's Office. This small agency handles bench warrant processing for the entire county. When a judge signs a bench warrant in Quitman County, the sheriff's office receives it and enters it into the local records system. From there, the data goes to the Georgia Crime Information Center database. Once in that state system, the warrant is visible to law enforcement all across Georgia and through the National Crime Information Center to officers nationwide. The office at 115 Main Street in Georgetown handles all warrant-related matters.

Call 229-334-3578 to reach the Quitman County Sheriff's Office. With a county this small, the sheriff's office staff may be more available than in larger areas. They may still limit the information they share over the phone. Going in person with a valid photo ID is the surest way to get what you need. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory has contact info for all county sheriffs in Georgia.

Note: Quitman County does not maintain a public online warrant search tool.

Warrant Search in Quitman County

There is no online bench warrant search for Quitman County. With only about 2,300 residents, the county does not have the resources for a web-based lookup system. Your options are calling the sheriff or going to the Quitman County Courthouse in Georgetown. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps records for all cases and can confirm if a bench warrant was issued when you provide enough details. Bring an ID if you visit.

The Georgia.gov warrant search guide outlines the steps for checking on active warrants in any Georgia county. Most small counties like Quitman handle these requests in person or by phone. You provide your name and date of birth, and staff check the system. If a bench warrant comes up, they let you know and explain what to do. Quitman County is part of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit, which covers multiple small counties in southwest Georgia along the Alabama border.

The Georgia Crime Information Center is where Quitman County bench warrants are stored once the sheriff's office processes them.

Quitman County Bench Warrant Penalties

Missing court in Quitman County triggers extra charges. Georgia treats failure to appear as its own criminal offense. Under O.C.G.A. 16-10-51, bail jumping on a misdemeanor carries up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine on top of the original charge. For felony cases, the penalty jumps to one to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000. Even in a county this small, the penalties are the same as anywhere else in Georgia. Quitman County judges enforce them.

Traffic bench warrants follow separate rules. O.C.G.A. 40-13-63 makes missing a traffic hearing punishable by a $200 fine and up to three days in jail. The court may also notify the Georgia Department of Driver Services to suspend your license under O.C.G.A. 40-5-56. Getting a suspended license back costs $100 at a DDS office or $125 by mail.

Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-11, there is a 30-day grace period for traffic bench warrants. The clerk sends written notice before the warrant goes active, giving you time to take care of things.

State Resources for Quitman County

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation works with local agencies including the Quitman County Sheriff's Office. The GBI does not issue bench warrants. It runs the Georgia Crime Information Center where Quitman County warrants are stored after processing. GCIC connects to the national NCIC database. Even a bench warrant from a county with 2,300 people can show up during a traffic stop across state lines.

The Georgia Courts sheriff directory provides contact details for the Quitman County Sheriff's Office. Quitman County is in the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit. The circuit serves several counties in the southwest corner of the state, and bench warrants from any of these counties go through the same state databases.

Note: All Quitman County bench warrants entered into GCIC are visible to every law enforcement officer in Georgia.

Quitman County Open Records

Georgia's Open Records Act at O.C.G.A. 50-18-70 gives any person the right to request public records from government offices. Bench warrant records from the Quitman County Clerk of Court or sheriff's office are covered. You can submit a request in person at the courthouse in Georgetown or in writing. The office has three business days to respond to most requests.

Bench warrants are public records once issued. The related case file is also typically public. Juvenile cases and sealed records are exceptions. A standard bench warrant for a missed court date in Quitman County is available for public review. No fee is charged for the request, though copies may have a small cost.

Nearby Counties

Bench warrants are county-specific in Georgia. The county where your case was filed is the one that holds the warrant. If you are unsure which county issued your bench warrant, check your court paperwork or call the Quitman County Sheriff's Office at 229-334-3578. These counties border Quitman County.