Search Claiborne Parish Criminal Court Records

Claiborne Parish criminal court records are filed and maintained through the 2nd Judicial District Court in Homer. Whether you want to look up a criminal case, check charges and dispositions, or request certified copies of court documents, this page explains the online portals and in-person steps available for searching Claiborne Parish criminal court records.

The 2nd Judicial District Court

The 2nd Judicial District Court serves three parishes: Claiborne, Bienville, and Jackson. Criminal cases in Claiborne Parish go through this district, with the Claiborne Parish courthouse in Homer. The Clerk of Court is Brian M. Flynn. The clerk's office is at 512 East Main Street, Homer, LA 71040 (P.O. Box 330). You can reach the clerk by phone at (318) 927-9601. The clerk's website is at claiborneclerk.org. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

The Claiborne Parish Clerk of Court's office is unique in that it is funded entirely by service fees rather than ad valorem property taxes. This means the office operates on what it generates from record requests, filings, and related services. The 2nd JDC's District Attorney handles prosecution for Claiborne, Bienville, and Jackson Parishes. More information about the DA's office is available at 2jdda.org. The Claiborne Parish Sheriff's Office can be reached at (318) 927-2011 for arrest records and law enforcement matters that did not result in court charges.

La. R.S. 44:1 gives the public the right to access government records. La. R.S. 44:32(A) requires the clerk to provide access to any adult who requests records. You do not need to show a reason or be a party to the case to request public criminal court files. Claiborne Parish courthouse records go back to 1850, giving the clerk's office one of the longer historical record collections in north Louisiana. Cases decided in the 2nd JDC can be appealed to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal.

How to Search Claiborne Parish Criminal Court Records Online

Claiborne Parish has several online options for criminal court record searches. The clerk's own website at claiborneclerk.org is the most direct starting point for Claiborne-specific records, and is shown below.

The clerk's website provides direct access to the Claiborne Parish court record index and any search tools the clerk's office has made available online.

Clerk Connect is the main subscription-based statewide portal for Claiborne Parish records. The portal is shown below.

Clerk Connect offers tiered subscription access: Daily access costs $20, a monthly subscription is $75, and a yearly subscription is $625. These rates apply for subscribers who need frequent or ongoing access to Claiborne Parish records. For one-time or occasional lookups, the free eClerks LA portal may be a better fit.

The eClerks LA statewide portal is shown below and provides free access to adult criminal records across all 64 Louisiana parishes including Claiborne.

The eClerks LA portal lets you search by name or case number and get basic case details at no charge. No account is needed for a basic name search. Both Clerk Connect and eClerks LA are index tools. For full case documents or certified copies, you must contact the Claiborne Parish Clerk of Court directly.

The 2nd Judicial District Attorney's website at 2jdda.org is shown below and provides information about the prosecuting office for Claiborne Parish cases.

The DA's website is a reference resource for understanding how prosecution works in the 2nd JDC. It does not provide direct case record searches, but it can point you to the right contacts for active cases or victim services.

In-Person and Mail Requests

To get records in person, go to the Claiborne Parish Courthouse at 512 East Main Street in Homer. The Clerk of Court's office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Bring the full name of the person you are searching for and a case number if you have one. Staff can search by name and date range if you lack a case number. The office handles requests for docket sheets, case files, certified copies, and plain copies of criminal court documents.

Copy fees follow standard Louisiana clerk rates. Uncertified copies typically cost $1 per page. Certified copies carry an additional fee and include the clerk's seal, which is required for legal uses like submitting records to another court or government agency. For mail requests, write to the Claiborne Parish Clerk of Court at P.O. Box 330, Homer, LA 71040, and include a check or money order for the expected copy fees. Clearly state the name and case details in your letter. Call (318) 927-9601 before mailing to confirm current rates. Since the office runs on service fee revenue, processing requests efficiently matters to the clerk's office, and staff are generally responsive to public records inquiries.

Types of Criminal Court Records in Claiborne Parish

The 2nd JDC clerk's office in Claiborne Parish holds criminal court records going back to 1850. Current records include charging documents such as bills of information and grand jury indictments, arraignment records, plea agreements, trial transcripts, verdicts, and sentencing orders. Bond records, probation conditions, and motion filings are also part of most case files. For very old records, availability depends on the condition of the paper files and whether they have been microfilmed or digitized.

Under La. R.S. 44:36, felony conviction records are retained permanently. Misdemeanor records must be kept for at least 10 years. Traffic violation records are held for a minimum of 3 years. Records from the mid-1800s may not appear in the digital index and may require an in-person visit to locate. If you are researching a historical case, call the clerk's office before making the trip to Homer to confirm what is accessible and in what form.

State-Level Criminal Record Resources

For a broader view of an individual's criminal history beyond the Claiborne Parish courthouse, several state-level resources are available.

The Louisiana State Police holds 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 part of this official check. It covers all 64 parishes including Claiborne.

The Louisiana Department of Corrections offers a free DOC Offender Search for current and former state-supervised offenders statewide. The Louisiana Sex Offender Registry is free and searchable by name or geographic area. For federal cases involving Claiborne Parish residents, use PACER. Claiborne Parish falls under the Western District of Louisiana for federal court purposes.

Expungement of Criminal Records in Claiborne Parish

Louisiana expungement is governed by La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and related statutes. Expungement removes a record from public view but does not permanently destroy the data. Law enforcement retains access to expunged records in certain circumstances defined by state law.

To begin the process in Claiborne Parish, you file a motion with the 2nd Judicial District Court in Homer. Required fees are: Clerk of Court $200, Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information $250, District Attorney $50, and Sheriff $50. These fees are paid to separate agencies and all must be included when filing. Not all records qualify. First-time non-violent offenders who have finished their sentence generally have the best path to expungement. Arrests that did not lead to a conviction can often be expunged more quickly than conviction-based records.

Once an expungement is granted, the record is removed from public tools like Clerk Connect and eClerks LA. It will no longer appear in standard background checks available to private parties or employers. If you are not sure whether your case qualifies, talk to a local attorney before you file. Errors in the petition can delay the outcome and require you to pay fees again from the beginning.

Cities in Claiborne Parish

Homer is the parish seat and largest city in Claiborne Parish. Other communities include Haynesville, Lisbon, and Summerfield. None of the cities in Claiborne Parish meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All criminal court records for the parish, regardless of which community a case originated from, are filed with the Claiborne Parish Clerk of Court in Homer through the 2nd Judicial District Court.

Nearby Parishes

Claiborne Parish borders several other north Louisiana parishes. Records from neighboring parishes are maintained by their own clerks of court and fall under different judicial districts.