LaPlace Criminal Court Records

LaPlace criminal court records are filed with the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court and processed through the 40th Judicial District Court. LaPlace is an unincorporated community within St. John the Baptist Parish, so there is no separate city court. All criminal matters go through the parish court system, and this page covers how to search those records online and in person.

St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court

The St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court maintains all criminal case records for LaPlace and the rest of the parish. The main LaPlace east bank office is at 1811 W. Airline Highway, LaPlace, Louisiana. Phone is (985) 652-8041. There is also a west bank branch in Edgard at 2393 Highway 18, reachable at (985) 497-3331. The clerk's office handles all filings, copy requests, and public record inquiries for the 40th Judicial District Court.

If you plan to visit the LaPlace office, call ahead first. The east bank LaPlace courthouse location was affected by Hurricane IDA damage, and court operations may have been relocated. Verifying the current status of in-person service at the LaPlace office before you make the trip is the safest approach. The Edgard branch across the river is a reliable alternative if the LaPlace office is not fully operational.

For mail requests, include the defendant's full name, approximate case year, case number if you have it, and payment for estimated fees. Send to whichever branch is currently accepting mail requests. The clerk's office will contact you if additional fees are needed. The 40th JDC website at 40thjdc.org has current contact information if phone numbers or addresses have changed.

Note: Verify the current operational status of the LaPlace east bank courthouse before visiting in person. Hurricane IDA damage may have affected normal hours and services.

40th Judicial District Court

The 40th Judicial District Court is the district court for St. John the Baptist Parish. It handles all felony criminal cases and major civil matters for the entire parish, including LaPlace. Because LaPlace is unincorporated, there is no city court. Every criminal matter that goes beyond the initial arrest stage goes through the 40th JDC and is filed with the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk.

The 40th Judicial District Court at 40thjdc.org covers all criminal cases filed in St. John the Baptist Parish, including LaPlace.

Court schedules, filing procedures, and contact information for the LaPlace courthouse are available through the 40th JDC website.

The 40th JDC website is a good reference for understanding court structure and procedure before you visit or file anything. You can find judge assignments, hearing schedules, and contact information for the court. For actual case records and document copies, go to the clerk's office at sjbparishclerk.gov rather than directly to the court itself.

Online Search Tools for LaPlace Records

The Clerk Connect portal provides online access to St. John the Baptist Parish criminal records including LaPlace cases.

eFiling through Clerk Connect is available for 40th JDC matters, and the index-level search lets you confirm case information before requesting copies.

Clerk Connect is one of the primary online tools for LaPlace criminal court records. You can search by name or case number at the index level at no cost. Full document access may require a subscription. The eFiling feature is available for attorneys and parties who need to file documents with the 40th JDC electronically, which is a useful option given the ongoing courthouse access limitations due to Hurricane IDA damage.

eClerks LA at eclerksla.com also covers St. John the Baptist Parish and provides similar index-level search capabilities. For federal cases, LaPlace falls under the Eastern District of Louisiana. Search federal records through PACER. Sheriff records for St. John the Baptist Parish can be requested by email at records.request@stjohnsheriff.org.

State Criminal Record Resources

Louisiana State Police maintains the statewide criminal history database under La. R.S. 15:578. A formal conviction check costs $31 through LSP's background check portal. The result covers all Louisiana parishes including St. John the Baptist. Louisiana is a closed record state under La. R.S. 15:587, so the official check shows convictions only, not arrests without conviction.

Free state tools include the Louisiana DOC Offender Search for people under DOC supervision, and the Louisiana Sex Offender Registry, both searchable by name or location. La. R.S. 44:1 establishes the public right to access government records. La. R.S. 44:32(A) requires custodians to fulfill requests from any adult member of the public. Criminal court records are public unless sealed, expunged, or otherwise restricted by law.

Expungement in St. John the Baptist Parish

Expungement motions for LaPlace cases are filed with the 40th Judicial District Court through the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk. Louisiana's expungement law at La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 applies statewide. Arrests without conviction and some first-time non-violent convictions may qualify. Violent offenses and sex offenses are generally not eligible under Louisiana law.

Standard Louisiana expungement fees total $550: $200 to the clerk, $250 to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, $50 to the district attorney, and $50 to the sheriff. Attorney fees are on top of these amounts. Once an expungement is granted, the record is removed from public databases including Clerk Connect and eClerks LA. Law enforcement retains access under limited circumstances set by state law. Juvenile records in LaPlace are sealed by default and are not part of the public criminal records system.

Related Parish

Criminal court records for LaPlace are maintained by St. John the Baptist Parish. All felony and major criminal cases go through the 40th Judicial District Court, with the clerk's office handling record requests from the east bank LaPlace location or the Edgard west bank branch.

Nearby Cities

Other Louisiana cities with dedicated criminal court records pages: