Cape Girardeau County Warrants

Cape Girardeau County bench warrants are issued through the 32nd Judicial Circuit Court when individuals miss scheduled court dates or violate court-ordered conditions. The county sheriff's office in Jackson maintains warrant records and enforces these court orders across the county. You can check for active bench warrants by contacting the Warrants Division, searching Missouri Case.net, or visiting the sheriff's office. This guide explains the full process for finding and dealing with bench warrants in Cape Girardeau County.

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff

The Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Office handles bench warrant enforcement from its location at 216 North Missouri Street in Jackson. The Warrants Division is the specific unit that tracks and serves warrants issued by the circuit court. You can call them at (573) 243-3551 to ask about active bench warrants. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

When you call or visit to check on a bench warrant, provide the full legal name and date of birth of the person you are asking about. The Warrants Division keeps the most current database of active warrants in the county. They can confirm whether a bench warrant exists and tell you the next steps for resolving it. In-person visits require a valid photo ID.

The sheriff's office also runs an online inmate roster through Jail Tracker and a wanted person search portal where you can look up people with active warrants by name.

Cape Girardeau County Court System

The 32nd Judicial Circuit handles all bench warrant cases in Cape Girardeau County. The main circuit court sits at 44 North Lorimier Street in Cape Girardeau. You can reach the Circuit Clerk at (573) 243-8446. The clerk's office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and maintains records for every case in which a bench warrant has been issued.

Cape Girardeau County also has a Justice Center at 203 North High Street in Jackson, which handles some court proceedings. The phone number for the Justice Center is (573) 243-2400. Depending on your case type, you may need to appear at one building or the other. The circuit clerk can tell you which location handles your specific case.

The county has municipal courts as well. The Cape Girardeau Municipal Court at 40 South Sprigg Street handles city ordinance violations and traffic cases. Their number is (573) 339-6327. The Jackson Municipal Court at 101 Court Street covers similar matters for Jackson. Call (573) 243-3568 for Jackson court inquiries. Bench warrants from municipal courts are handled separately from circuit court warrants.

To search Cape Girardeau County court records online, go to Missouri Case.net. This free tool lets you look up cases by name, case number, or filing date. Docket entries will show if a bench warrant was issued in a case. Keep in mind that very new warrants may not show up on Case.net right away.

The screenshot below shows the Missouri Case.net system used to search Cape Girardeau County court records.

Bench Warrants in Cape Girardeau

Bench warrants in Cape Girardeau County are most often issued for failure to appear. A judge expects everyone involved in a case to show up on the scheduled date. When they do not, the judge issues a bench warrant from the bench. This applies to defendants, witnesses, and sometimes even parties in civil cases who ignore court orders.

Other common reasons include not paying fines after a conviction, violating the terms of probation, and not completing court-ordered programs. Each of these failures gives the judge grounds to issue a warrant. Once signed, the bench warrant goes into the local and statewide law enforcement databases. Any officer who encounters the person during a traffic stop, call for service, or routine check can arrest them on the spot.

Missouri law is clear that bench warrants do not expire. A Cape Girardeau County bench warrant stays active and enforceable until the court takes action to recall or quash it, or until the person is brought before the judge. This can happen years after the original warrant was issued.

Clearing a Cape Girardeau Warrant

If you have a bench warrant in Cape Girardeau County, act soon. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to be arrested at an inconvenient time. Call the circuit clerk at (573) 243-8446 to find out what your case requires. For traffic or minor cases, you may be able to pay outstanding fines and have the warrant dismissed.

For criminal cases, you will most likely need a lawyer. An attorney can file a motion to recall the bench warrant and request a new court date. If the motion is granted, the warrant is removed from the system and you appear in court on the new date instead of being arrested. The prosecuting attorney's office at (573) 243-2411 handles the state's side of criminal cases in Cape Girardeau County.

• Check your case on Case.net or call the circuit clerk
• Contact a lawyer about filing a motion to recall
• Pay outstanding fines if the case allows it
• Turn yourself in at the sheriff's office in Jackson
• Appear before the judge to address the original case

Note: The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney can be reached at (573) 243-2411 for questions about criminal bench warrants.

Record Fees in Cape Girardeau County

Checking your own warrant status at the sheriff's office is free. You can inspect records in person at no cost. If you need copies, standard fees apply. Copy fees run $0.25 to $0.50 per page. Certified copies cost $1.00 to $2.00 per page plus certification fees. The Missouri State Highway Patrol charges $14 for a statewide name-based criminal history search through MACHS.

Nearby Counties

Cape Girardeau County is in southeast Missouri along the Mississippi River. If you think a bench warrant may have been issued in a neighboring county, contact that county's sheriff or circuit clerk directly.