Warrants are public records in Union County, Florida, pursuant to Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, commonly known as the Florida Public Records Act. This legislation establishes that most government records, including warrant information, shall be available for public inspection and copying. The statute specifically mandates that all records made or received in connection with official business by any public agency are considered public records.
In accordance with Florida Statute § 119.01, which declares that "all state, county, and municipal records are open for personal inspection and copying by any person," warrant information maintained by the Union County Sheriff's Office and the Clerk of Court is accessible to members of the public. This transparency requirement applies to active warrants, served warrants, and warrant history, with certain statutory exceptions for confidential information.
The Florida Constitution, Article I, Section 24, further reinforces this right of access by establishing that "every person has the right to inspect or copy any public record made or received in connection with the official business of any public body." This constitutional provision underscores the importance of governmental transparency in Florida's legal framework.
Warrant records maintained by Union County authorities typically contain the following information as required by Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure 3.121:
Pursuant to Florida Statute § 119.071, certain information within warrant records may be redacted, including social security numbers, driver's license numbers, and other personal identifying information that is exempt from public disclosure.
Members of the public may verify warrant status in Union County through several no-cost methods established under Florida's public records provisions:
When conducting a warrant search, requestors should be prepared to provide the full name and, if possible, the date of birth of the individual in question to ensure accurate results. Pursuant to Florida Statute § 119.07, agencies may charge a reasonable fee for extensive use of agency resources in fulfilling public records requests.
The Union County Sheriff's Office Civil/Warrants Division is the primary agency responsible for the processing and service of all warrants issued within Union County jurisdiction. This division operates under the authority granted by Florida Statute § 30.15, which outlines the powers, duties, and obligations of Florida sheriffs.
Sheriff's warrants in Union County are categorized as follows:
The Union County Sheriff's Office Civil/Warrants Division, located at 55 W. Main Street, Lake Butler, FL 32054, maintains records of all warrants issued within the county and coordinates with other law enforcement agencies for service of warrants across jurisdictional boundaries. The division can be contacted at (386) 496-2501 for information regarding warrant status and service procedures.
As of 2025, individuals seeking to determine if they are subject to an active warrant in Union County have multiple verification methods available pursuant to Florida's public records laws:
In accordance with Florida Statute § 119.07(1)(a), which states that "every person who has custody of a public record shall permit the record to be inspected and copied by any person desiring to do so," these agencies are required to provide warrant information upon request, subject to applicable exemptions and reasonable fees for extensive searches or copying.
Individuals with active warrants are advised that appearing in person at law enforcement facilities to check warrant status may result in immediate arrest if a valid warrant exists.
Verification of outstanding warrants in Union County may be accomplished through several official channels established under Florida's public records framework:
When conducting a warrant search, requestors should provide as much identifying information as possible to ensure accurate results. Pursuant to Florida Administrative Code Rule 1B-24.003(1)(a), agencies may require proper identification from any person requesting access to public records to verify their identity.