Search Huntsville Bench Warrants
Huntsville bench warrants are issued when someone fails to appear in court or does not comply with a court order. The Huntsville Municipal Court handles city ordinance violations and issues bench warrants for those cases. Madison County Circuit Court handles all felony and misdemeanor bench warrants for Huntsville residents. You can check for active warrants by calling the court clerk or visiting in person.
Huntsville Quick Facts
What Is a Bench Warrant?
A bench warrant is a court order. A judge issues it from the bench. It tells law enforcement to arrest someone and bring them to court. Bench warrants in Huntsville are different from arrest warrants. An arrest warrant is for a new crime. A bench warrant is for failing to follow court rules.
Under Code of Alabama Section 15-10-60, a bench warrant directs officers to arrest and bring a person before the court. The judge signs it. The clerk files it. Then law enforcement can act on it at any time. Huntsville Police can arrest you on a bench warrant during a traffic stop, at your home, or anywhere they find you.
Common reasons for Huntsville bench warrants include:
- Failure to appear for a court date
- Failure to pay fines or court costs
- Failure to complete community service
- Failure to comply with probation terms
- Contempt of court
Felony bench warrants never expire in Alabama. They stay active until the court recalls them or you are arrested. Misdemeanor warrants last 180 days to one year but can be renewed. If you have a bench warrant in Huntsville, it will not go away on its own.
Huntsville Municipal Court Bench Warrants
The Huntsville Municipal Court issues bench warrants for city ordinance violations only. These are local offenses within city limits. The court handles traffic tickets, code violations, and minor city law violations. If you miss a court date or fail to pay a fine, the judge can issue a bench warrant.
Municipal court bench warrants in Huntsville are for low-level offenses. They do not cover felonies. They do not cover most misdemeanors either. The court deals with things like parking tickets, speeding within city limits, noise complaints, and building code violations. These cases stay in municipal court unless they involve a crime that requires district or circuit court.
| Court | Huntsville Municipal Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 815 Wheeler Avenue Huntsville, AL 35801 |
| Phone | (256) 427-7810 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | huntsvilleal.gov/government/municipal-courts |
If you have a municipal court bench warrant in Huntsville, call the court first. Ask about your options. You may be able to set a new court date. You may need to pay a bond. The clerk can tell you what steps to take. Do not ignore a bench warrant. It will not go away and can lead to arrest at any time.
Municipal vs County Bench Warrants
Huntsville has two court systems that issue bench warrants. This can be confusing. Here is the difference. Municipal court handles city ordinance matters. County court handles crimes under state law. Knowing which court issued your warrant is key to clearing it.
The Huntsville Municipal Court covers:
- City traffic violations
- City code violations
- City ordinance violations
- Municipal fines and fees
The Madison County Circuit Court covers:
- Felony charges
- Serious misdemeanors
- State traffic violations
- Drug offenses
- Theft and assault charges
A city bench warrant stays with the municipal court. A county bench warrant is in the state court system. Both can lead to arrest. Both show up when police run your name. The process to clear each type is different. Call the court that issued your warrant to find out what you need to do.
Madison County handles felony bench warrants for all Huntsville residents. Even if the crime happened in Huntsville, felony cases go to circuit court. The Madison County Circuit Clerk keeps these records. The sheriff serves these warrants. Municipal court does not handle felony matters at all.
How to Search Huntsville Bench Warrants
There is no free online search for Huntsville bench warrants. Alabama does not have a public warrant database. You must contact the court or sheriff to check. Here are the ways to search for bench warrants in Huntsville.
Call Huntsville Municipal Court: Phone (256) 427-7810 and ask the clerk to check for warrants. Give your full name and date of birth. The clerk can tell you if you have an active municipal warrant. This is free but only covers city violations.
Call Madison County Circuit Clerk: Phone (256) 532-3380 for circuit court warrants. The warrant magistrate line is (256) 532-3611. These staff can check for county-level bench warrants. You need your full name and date of birth.
Visit the Sheriff: The Madison County Sheriff at 256-532-3410 can tell you if you have an active warrant. You can visit the office at 100 Northside Square in Huntsville. Be aware that if you have a warrant, you may be arrested on the spot.
Use AlacourtAccess: Go to pa.alacourt.com to search court records. This shows case info but may not show all active warrants. A name search costs $9.99. You can see if you have pending cases in Madison County.
Hire an Attorney: A lawyer can check for warrants on your behalf. They can also appear in court for you in some cases. This is the safest way if you think you have a warrant and want to avoid arrest while sorting it out.
How to Clear a Huntsville Bench Warrant
Clearing a bench warrant in Huntsville takes action. The warrant will not go away on its own. You have several options depending on your situation. The best choice depends on why the warrant was issued and what court it came from.
Turn yourself in: Go to the court that issued the warrant. Bring ID and any papers related to your case. The judge will either set a new date or handle your case right away. You may need to post bond to get out. This is the most direct way to deal with a warrant.
Contact an attorney: A lawyer can file a motion to recall the warrant. In some cases, they can get a new court date set without you being arrested first. This costs money but gives you more control over the process.
Post bond: If bond is set on your warrant, you can pay it. Call the court to find out the bond amount. Once you post bond, the warrant is lifted and you get a new court date. Bond amounts vary based on the charge and your history.
Contact the clerk: For municipal warrants, call (256) 427-7810. Explain your situation. Ask what options you have. The clerk may be able to set a new court date. They can tell you exactly what the court needs from you.
Do not drive with an active warrant. Do not travel. Any contact with police could lead to arrest. Even a minor traffic stop can end with you in jail if you have a bench warrant in Huntsville. Deal with it before that happens.
Huntsville Bench Warrant Fees
Bench warrants add fees to your case. When a judge issues a warrant, more costs pile up. You will pay these on top of whatever you already owed. Here are the common fees for bench warrant cases in Huntsville.
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Warrant recall fee | Varies by case |
| Failure to appear fee | $50 to $100 |
| Court costs | $100 to $300 |
| AlacourtAccess search | $9.99 per search |
| Document copies | $5.00 first 20 pages |
Madison County charges $5 for copies of 1 to 20 pages. Each extra page costs 50 cents. Certified copies cost $5 more. A computerized search runs $10. A paper search by staff costs $20. These are county clerk fees, not municipal court fees.
If you cannot pay, you may ask the court for a payment plan. Some judges allow community service instead of fines. The court can also waive fees in hardship cases. You must file a form and show proof of income. Call the clerk to ask about options if money is tight.
Huntsville Police Department
The Huntsville Police Department serves the city and enforces all warrants. Officers can arrest you on any active bench warrant, whether it came from municipal court or county court. Police run warrant checks during traffic stops, calls for service, and other contacts.
| Department | Huntsville Police Department |
|---|---|
| Address | 815 Wheeler Avenue Huntsville, AL 35801 |
| Non-Emergency | (256) 427-7020 |
| Website | huntsvilleal.gov/huntsville-police |
Huntsville Police share warrant information with other agencies. If you have a warrant and travel outside the city, other police can still arrest you. Alabama law lets officers execute warrants any day and any time under Code of Alabama Section 15-10-2. There is no safe time to have an active warrant.
Madison County Circuit Court
Madison County Circuit Court handles all felony and serious misdemeanor cases for Huntsville. This includes bench warrants for those cases. The court is in downtown Huntsville at the Madison County Courthouse. The Circuit Clerk keeps all records and can check for warrants.
| Court | Madison County Circuit Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 100 Northside Square, Room 217 Huntsville, AL 35801 |
| Circuit Clerk | (256) 532-3380 |
| Warrant Magistrate | (256) 532-3611 |
Madison County is part of the 23rd Judicial Circuit. The circuit clerk, Debra Kizer, runs the office. Staff can look up your case and tell you if you have a warrant. They cannot give legal advice, but they can explain the process. For full county court information, see the Madison County page.
About Huntsville
Huntsville is the largest city in Alabama with over 230,000 residents. It sits in Madison County in north Alabama. The city is known as the Rocket City because of its role in the space program. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and Redstone Arsenal are here. The FBI is building its second headquarters in Huntsville.
The city has one of the most educated populations in the country. Many residents work in aerospace, defense, and technology. Cummings Research Park is the second largest research park in the nation. This growth brings people from all over, which means more court cases and more warrants.
If you moved to Huntsville from another state, check for warrants in your old location too. Alabama does not always get warrant data from other states right away. A bench warrant from another state can still lead to arrest here. The NCIC database shares warrant info across state lines for serious offenses.
Nearby Cities
These Alabama cities are near Huntsville and have their own municipal courts. If you lived or got a ticket in one of these places, you may have a warrant there instead. Check each city where you may have had court contact.