Turner County Bench Warrants

Bench warrants in Turner County are issued when a person does not show up for a court hearing or breaks the terms of a bond agreement. The county seat is Ashburn, and all warrant matters run through the Turner County Sheriff's Office on East College Avenue. Searching for an active bench warrant here means you will most likely need to call the sheriff's office or go in person, since Turner County does not have an online warrant lookup tool. This is a small county in south central Georgia with about 9,000 residents, so most warrant business is handled face to face at the courthouse or the sheriff's office in Ashburn.

Turner County Sheriff's Office

Sheriff Andy Hester runs the Turner County Sheriff's Office. This office is the main point of contact for all bench warrant matters in the county. When a judge signs a bench warrant in Turner County, the sheriff's office gets it and logs the details into their records system. Staff then enter the warrant into the Georgia Crime Information Center database so it can be seen by law enforcement across the state. The office sits at 219 E. College Avenue in Ashburn, and you can reach them at 229-567-4321 during regular business hours on weekdays.

If you call the Turner County Sheriff's Office, keep in mind that staff may not give out full warrant details over the phone. Most of the time, they will ask you to come in with a valid photo ID. Walk-ins are the norm for warrant checks in smaller Georgia counties like Turner. The Georgia Sheriffs' Association directory lists Sheriff Hester and all other sheriffs across the state.

Note: Turner County does not have an online portal for warrant searches at this time.

How to Search Turner County Warrants

There is no web-based search tool for Turner County bench warrants. This is typical for rural Georgia counties that lack the budget for digital court record systems. To check on a bench warrant, you need to go to the sheriff's office in Ashburn or call 229-567-4321. You can also visit the Turner County Courthouse and ask the Clerk of Superior Court to look up your case. The clerk keeps files on all cases that go through the court, and they can tell you if a bench warrant was issued as part of a case.

The Georgia.gov warrant search guide explains how warrant lookups work across the state. It covers what to bring, where to go, and what to expect. Turner County follows the same general steps. You show up with your ID, give your name and date of birth, and the staff will check their system. If a bench warrant comes back, they will let you know what to do next, which usually means going before a judge to address the missed court date.

This guide from Georgia.gov gives a clear overview of the steps residents in Turner County can take to find out about bench warrants through official state resources.

Penalties for Turner County Bench Warrants

Skipping a court date in Turner County leads to more trouble. The bench warrant itself is just the order for your arrest. The real problem is the charge of failure to appear. Under O.C.G.A. 16-10-51, bail jumping on a misdemeanor can mean up to 12 months in jail and a $1,000 fine. If the original charge was a felony, the stakes go up. You could face one to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000. These penalties stack on top of whatever the first charge was, so missing court in Turner County can make a bad situation much worse.

Traffic bench warrants in Turner County carry their own set of penalties. Under O.C.G.A. 40-13-63, failing to show up for a traffic hearing can bring a $200 fine and up to three days in jail. The court can also report you to the Georgia Department of Driver Services, which will suspend your license per O.C.G.A. 40-5-56. Getting it back costs $100 in person or $125 by mail. That adds up fast on top of the original fine.

There is a grace period for some warrants. Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-11, the clerk sends a notice and waits 30 days before the warrant goes active in traffic cases. Handle it in that window and the court may cancel the warrant.

State Resources for Turner County

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation supports local law enforcement offices like the Turner County Sheriff's Office. The GBI does not issue bench warrants, but it manages databases that track them statewide. The Georgia Crime Information Center is where Turner County bench warrants end up after the sheriff's office processes them. This state database connects to the national NCIC system, so a warrant from Turner County can show up during a traffic stop anywhere in the country.

The Georgia Courts sheriff directory provides another way to find the Turner County Sheriff's Office contact info. If you are trying to figure out which office to call, start there. Turner County is part of the Tifton Judicial Circuit, which covers several counties in this part of south Georgia.

Turner County Open Records

Under the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. 50-18-70, you have the right to request public records from any government office in the state. Bench warrant records from Turner County fall under this law. You can ask the Clerk of Superior Court or the sheriff's office for copies of warrant documents. Submit your request in writing or in person at the courthouse in Ashburn. The office has three business days to respond to a standard request.

Most bench warrants are public records once they have been signed by a judge. The case file is also public in most situations. Some records tied to juvenile cases or sealed matters may not be available, but the typical bench warrant for a missed court appearance in Turner County is open to anyone who asks for it. The office may charge a small fee for copies of documents, but the initial inquiry is free.

Note: Open records requests in Turner County can be made in person at the courthouse or sent by mail to the Clerk of Court.

Nearby Counties

Bench warrants in Georgia stay with the county that issued them. If you are not sure which county holds your warrant, check your court papers or call the Turner County Sheriff's Office at 229-567-4321. These counties border Turner County.