Criminal Court Records in Bossier Parish

Bossier Parish criminal court records are filed and maintained through the 26th Judicial District Court, which serves Benton and the broader parish including Bossier City. Whether you are checking a charge, looking up a case outcome, or requesting certified copies of criminal court documents in Bossier Parish, this page walks you through the search tools and in-person options available to you.

The 26th Judicial District Court

The 26th Judicial District Court serves Bossier and Webster Parishes. Criminal cases in Bossier Parish go through this district, with the Bossier Parish Clerk of Court based at 204 Burt Boulevard, Second Floor, Benton, LA 71006. You can reach the clerk by phone at (318) 965-2336 or by email at info@bossierclerk.com. The clerk's website is at bossierclerk.com. The clerk's office in Benton is the right contact point for case records, certified copies, and any in-person or mail requests related to district court criminal matters.

Bossier City also has its own city court, separate from the 26th JDC. The Bossier City Court is located at 620 Benton Road, Bossier City, LA 71111, and can be reached at (318) 741-8086. City court handles misdemeanor and lower-level offenses within Bossier City limits. If you are looking for a minor offense case that occurred in Bossier City, you may need to check city court rather than the district court. Felony cases and more serious criminal matters go through the 26th JDC in Benton regardless of which community in the parish is involved.

Cases decided in the 26th JDC can be appealed to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal, which covers north Louisiana. If you are researching a case that went through an appeal, 2nd Circuit records would be separate from the district court file. La. R.S. 44:1 and La. R.S. 44:32(A) require the clerk to make criminal court records available to any adult who requests them. You do not need to be a party to the case or provide a specific reason to access public criminal court files.

How to Search Bossier Parish Criminal Court Records Online

Several online tools are available for searching Bossier Parish criminal court records. The Bossier Parish Clerk's own website at bossierclerk.com is the primary starting point for parish-level record searches. The clerk's site is shown below and gives direct access to Bossier Parish court index information.

The clerk's website provides case search and index access for criminal filings in the 26th JDC. It is the most direct route to Bossier-specific records.

Clerk Connect is another statewide portal that works for Bossier Parish criminal record searches. The Clerk Connect portal is shown below.

Clerk Connect provides name and case number search access across participating Louisiana parishes. Use it for case status checks and index lookups. For full documents or certified copies, contact the Bossier Parish Clerk of Court directly. The Clerk Connect portal covers adult criminal records and does not include sealed juvenile files.

In-Person and Mail Requests

For in-person requests, go to the Bossier Parish Clerk of Court at 204 Burt Boulevard, Second Floor, Benton, LA 71006. Bring the full name of the person you are looking for and a case number if available. Staff can search by name and date range if you do not have a case number. A name search at the clerk's office costs $5.00 per name. Copy fees are $1.00 per page for standard copies. Certified copies carry an additional fee and include the clerk's official seal.

For mail requests, write to the Bossier Parish Clerk of Court at the Benton address, include a check or money order for the expected fees, and clearly state the name and case details you need. You can also email the clerk at info@bossierclerk.com to ask about current fees and processing times before mailing your request. For city court matters in Bossier City, contact the Bossier City Court at 620 Benton Road, Bossier City, LA 71111, or by phone at (318) 741-8086.

What Bossier Parish Criminal Court Records Include

Criminal court records from the 26th JDC in Bossier Parish can contain a broad set of information. A typical criminal case file includes the person's full legal name and any aliases, date of birth, physical description, mugshot if entered into the court record, arrest information, case filing details, charges, disposition, and probation or parole conditions if applicable. Keep in mind that not every field appears in every record. The completeness of a file depends on how the case proceeded through the system.

Under La. R.S. 44:36, felony conviction records are retained permanently. Misdemeanor records are kept for at least 10 years. Traffic violation records are held for a minimum of 3 years. Arrest records where no charges were filed are typically held by the Bossier Parish Sheriff rather than the clerk. If you need booking or arrest information from a case that never went to court, contact the Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office directly.

State-Level Criminal Record Resources

Beyond what the parish clerk holds, several state-level tools let you check criminal record information for Bossier 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 a compiled statewide conviction record. Louisiana is a closed record state under La. R.S. 15:587, so arrests that did not result in conviction are not included. The check covers all 64 parishes including Bossier and is the most reliable source for a comprehensive conviction history.

The Louisiana Department of Corrections offers a free DOC Offender Search covering current and former state-supervised offenders, including those from Bossier Parish with state prison sentences. The Louisiana Sex Offender Registry is free and searchable by name or area. For federal criminal cases, use PACER. Bossier Parish falls under the Western District of Louisiana for federal court purposes.

Expungement of Criminal Records in Bossier Parish

Expungement in Louisiana is governed by La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and related statutes. Expungement removes a record from public access but does not permanently destroy the data. Law enforcement can still see expunged records under certain circumstances.

To begin the process in Bossier Parish, you file a motion with the 26th Judicial District Court in Benton. Required fees are: Clerk of Court $200, Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information $250, District Attorney $50, and Sheriff $50. Eligibility depends on the type of offense, prior record, and whether the sentence has been completed. First-time non-violent offenders generally have the clearest path. Arrests that did not lead to conviction can often be expunged faster and with fewer hurdles than conviction records.

Once granted, the expungement removes the record from public search tools including the clerk's public files. It will not appear in standard background checks. If you are unsure whether your case qualifies, talk to a local attorney before filing. Getting details wrong can delay the process significantly and may require you to pay fees again.

Cities in Bossier Parish

Benton is the parish seat, but Bossier City is by far the largest city in Bossier Parish with a population well above the threshold for a dedicated city page. Bossier City sits across the Red River from Shreveport and is a major urban center in northwest Louisiana. Other communities in the parish include Haughton, Plain Dealing, and Elm Grove. District court criminal records for all cities and towns in Bossier Parish are filed through the 26th JDC Clerk of Court in Benton.

Nearby Parishes

Bossier Parish borders several other parishes in northwest Louisiana. Records from neighboring parishes are handled by their own clerks of court and fall under different judicial districts.