Acadia Parish Criminal Court Records

Acadia Parish criminal court records are filed and maintained through the 15th Judicial District Court, which serves Crowley and the surrounding region. If you need to find a criminal case, check a charge, or confirm a court outcome, this page walks you through the online tools and in-person options available for searching Acadia Parish criminal court records.

The 15th Judicial District Court

The 15th Judicial District covers three parishes: Acadia, Lafayette, and Vermilion. Criminal cases filed in Acadia Parish go through this district, with the Acadia Parish courthouse located in Crowley. The Clerk of Court for Acadia Parish handles all filings, copies, and case access at this location. If you know the case is from Acadia specifically, you want to direct any in-person or mail requests to the Crowley courthouse rather than to the broader district offices.

Cases tried in the 15th JDC can be appealed to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal. The 3rd Circuit handles appeals from south-central Louisiana parishes. If you are looking at an older case that went through an appeal, the 3rd Circuit records would be a separate step from the district-level criminal court records in Acadia Parish.

La. R.S. 44:1 establishes the public's right to access government records, including criminal court records. The clerk of court must make these records available to any adult who requests them, as set out in La. R.S. 44:32(A). That means you don't need to be a party to the case or have a special reason to see the file.

How to Search Acadia Parish Criminal Court Records Online

The easiest way to start searching Acadia Parish criminal court records from home is through the eClerks LA statewide portal. The eClerks LA statewide portal provides free criminal record searches across all 64 Louisiana parishes including Acadia.

This free tool lets you monitor case activity and search adult criminal records from home without visiting the courthouse.

eClerks LA gives you index-level access at no cost. You can search by name or case number and get basic case details like charges, filing dates, and dispositions. For more detailed documents, you may need to request copies from the clerk's office directly. The portal also lets you set up monitoring alerts on specific cases, which is useful if you need to track an active case over time. You don't need to create an account just to run a basic name search.

Keep in mind that eClerks LA is an index tool. It shows you that a record exists and gives you key details, but it does not replace the full paper or digital record held at the courthouse. For certified copies or complete case documents, you still need to go through the Clerk of Court in Crowley.

Note: eClerks LA covers adult criminal records. Juvenile records are sealed under Louisiana law and are not available through public search tools.

In-Person and Mail Requests for Criminal Court Records

To get records in person, go to the Acadia Parish Courthouse in Crowley. The Clerk of Court's office is the right place to ask for case files, docket sheets, and certified copies of criminal court records. Bring the full name of the person and any case number you have. If you don't have a case number, a name and approximate date range will help staff locate the file.

Copy fees follow standard Louisiana clerk rates. Copies typically run $1 per page for uncertified copies. Certified copies cost more and include the clerk's seal, which is required for some legal uses. If you are requesting records by mail, write to the Acadia Parish Clerk of Court at the courthouse in Crowley, include a check or money order for the copy fees, and note the name and case details you are looking for. Processing times vary depending on how busy the office is and how many documents you request.

Types of Criminal Court Records in Acadia Parish

Criminal court records from the 15th JDC in Acadia Parish include a range of document types. You can find arrest records, charging documents, indictments, plea agreements, trial transcripts, verdicts, and sentencing orders. Probation and parole status may also appear in some case files, though detailed supervision records are held by the relevant state agency rather than the clerk's office.

Under La. R.S. 44:36, felony conviction records are kept permanently. Misdemeanor records must be retained for at least 10 years. Traffic violation records are kept for a minimum of 3 years. This means older cases may still be on file, though very old records may only be available in paper format rather than digitally through the online portal. If you are searching for a case from many years ago, it is worth calling the clerk's office to confirm availability before making a trip or sending a mail request.

Arrest records and booking information are typically held by the Acadia Parish Sheriff's Office rather than the clerk of court. If you need arrest information that did not result in a court case, contact the sheriff's office directly.

State-Level Criminal Record Resources

Beyond the local courthouse search, several state-level tools give you access to criminal record information related to Acadia Parish cases.

The Louisiana State Police maintains the state's central criminal record repository under La. R.S. 15:578. Their background check service at LSP's background check portal costs $31 and returns an official compiled record. Louisiana is a "closed record state," meaning this official check does not include arrests that didn't lead to conviction. It is not the same as a court records search, but it covers statewide conviction data from all parishes including Acadia.

The Louisiana Department of Corrections maintains the DOC Offender Search, which is free and does not require a login. This tool shows current and former DOC-supervised individuals, including those from Acadia Parish who received a state prison sentence. It is a good starting point when you know someone was convicted and sentenced to state custody. The Louisiana Sex Offender Registry is also free and searchable by name or location, covering registered sex offenders statewide including in Acadia Parish.

For federal criminal cases, use PACER. Federal cases cost $0.10 per page with a $3 cap per document. Acadia Parish falls under the Western District of Louisiana for federal court purposes.

Expungement of Criminal Court Records in Acadia Parish

Expungement removes a criminal record from public view. In Louisiana, expungement is governed by La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and related articles. Not all records are eligible. First-time non-violent offenders often qualify after completing their sentence. Arrests that did not lead to conviction can sometimes be expunged more quickly.

The process requires filing a motion with the district court, in this case the 15th JDC. You must pay several fees: the clerk of court charges $200, the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information charges $250, the district attorney's office charges $50, and the sheriff charges $50. These fees can add up, so it is worth consulting with a local attorney or checking with the Louisiana Supreme Court's self-help resources before starting the process.

Once granted, an expungement does not erase the record entirely from law enforcement databases. Police and prosecutors can still see expunged records under certain circumstances. But it does remove the record from public access tools like eClerks LA and the clerk of court's public files. Juvenile records in Acadia Parish are sealed by default and are not part of the public criminal court records system.

Cities in Acadia Parish

Crowley is the parish seat and largest city in Acadia Parish. Other communities include Rayne, Church Point, and Eunice (which also extends into St. Landry Parish). None of the cities in Acadia Parish meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. For criminal court records matters, all cases filed in Acadia Parish, regardless of which city or town they originate from, go through the Acadia Parish Clerk of Court in Crowley.

Nearby Parishes

Acadia Parish borders several other parishes in south-central Louisiana. Records from neighboring parishes are handled by their own clerks of court and may fall under different judicial districts.