Lafourche Parish Criminal Court Records

Lafourche Parish criminal court records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Thibodaux under the 17th Judicial District Court. The parish participates in both Clerk Connect and eClerks LA for online record access, and eFiling is also available through Clerk Connect. This page covers how to search Lafourche Parish criminal court records online, how to request documents in person or by mail, and what state and federal resources are available for broader searches.

The 17th Judicial District Court in Lafourche Parish

The 17th Judicial District Court serves Lafourche Parish only. All criminal cases filed in Lafourche Parish go through this court in Thibodaux, the parish seat. The Clerk of Court is the official custodian of all district court records, including criminal case files, minute entries, judgments, and related documents. If you need Lafourche Parish criminal court records, the Thibodaux courthouse is where you direct both in-person visits and mail requests.

Appeals from the 17th JDC go to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal, which covers parishes in south Louisiana. If a criminal case from Lafourche Parish was appealed after trial, those appeal records would be separate from the trial-level files at the Thibodaux courthouse. The 1st Circuit holds those records and they are not part of the parish clerk's system.

Under La. R.S. 44:32(A), the clerk must provide records to any adult who requests them. You do not need to be a party to the case or explain why you want the records. Most adult criminal court records in Lafourche Parish are public. Juvenile records are sealed under Louisiana law and cannot be accessed through any public tool. Expunged records are removed from public access once the court grants the petition.

The Lafourche Parish Clerk also supports eFiling and eRecording. eFiling lets attorneys and parties submit documents electronically to the court. eRecording allows electronic submission of land and property records. These services streamline the filing process but do not affect how public access works. Once a record is filed, it is available through the online search portals for those with access.

How to Search Lafourche Parish Criminal Court Records Online

Lafourche Parish participates in two main online platforms: Clerk Connect and eClerks LA. Both provide access to Lafourche Parish criminal court records and cover different types of access at different price points.

Clerk Connect is a subscription-based multi-parish portal that gives access to civil, criminal, and land records for Lafourche Parish and other participating parishes. Subscribers can search by name or case number and pull case details including charges, filing dates, and dispositions. Clerk Connect also supports eFiling for Lafourche Parish, meaning it is the same system used for electronic document submissions. This makes it a comprehensive option for attorneys, researchers, and anyone who needs regular access to Lafourche records.

Clerk Connect gives access to Lafourche Parish criminal, civil, and land records through one login, with eFiling functionality included for attorneys and parties with active cases.

eClerks LA is the free option for index-level searches. No account is needed for basic name searches, and it covers Lafourche Parish alongside all other participating Louisiana parishes. You can find key case details like charge descriptions, filing dates, and dispositions at no cost. For document images and deeper access, a subscription may be needed. The eClerks LA portal also lets you set up monitoring alerts on specific active cases.

The eClerks LA portal provides free index-level access to Lafourche Parish criminal records and is a fast way to confirm whether a case exists before requesting copies.

Note: Both Clerk Connect and eClerks LA are index tools at their base level. They show that a record exists and provide key metadata, but they do not replace the full paper or digital record held at the Thibodaux courthouse. For certified copies or complete case files, contact the Clerk of Court directly.

In-Person and Mail Requests for Lafourche Parish Records

The Lafourche Parish Courthouse is in Thibodaux, the parish seat. The Clerk of Court office handles all in-person record requests during standard business hours, Monday through Friday. Bring the full name of the person and any case number you have. A date range or approximate filing year helps staff find records faster, especially for older cases.

Copy fees follow the standard Louisiana schedule. Uncertified copies are typically $1 per page. Certified copies carry the clerk's official seal and include an additional certification fee per document. For mail requests, write to the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court in Thibodaux. Include a check or money order for estimated fees and note the case name and approximate filing date. Call the clerk's office before sending to confirm the current mailing address and fee schedule. Processing time varies based on office workload and the number of documents requested.

For questions about a specific case or to check availability before visiting, call the clerk's office. The phone number and address are available on the Lafourche Parish government website. Calling ahead is especially useful for older cases that may be in paper-only format and require extra retrieval time.

Types of Criminal Court Records in Lafourche Parish

Criminal court records from the 17th JDC include arrest records that became court filings, charging documents, indictments, plea agreements, trial transcripts, verdicts, and sentencing orders. Docket sheets track the full case timeline from first filing to final disposition. Probation and parole information may appear in some case files, but detailed supervision records are held by state agencies rather than the clerk's office. Arrest data that did not result in a court filing is typically held by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff.

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. Older records may exist in paper format only if they predate digitization efforts. For cases from many years back, call the clerk's office first to confirm availability and format before making the trip to Thibodaux.

State-Level and Federal Criminal Record Resources

State-level tools provide criminal record information that extends beyond what the Lafourche Parish clerk holds.

The Louisiana State Police maintains the state's central criminal record repository. Their background check portal costs $31 and returns an official statewide record. Louisiana is a closed record state under La. R.S. 15:587, meaning the check covers convictions only, not arrests without a conviction. This is commonly required for employment and licensing, and it covers all 64 parishes including Lafourche.

The Louisiana DOC Offender Search is free and covers current and former state-supervised individuals, including those from Lafourche Parish. The Louisiana Sex Offender Registry is also free and searchable by name or location. Both are useful supplements to a parish clerk search.

For federal cases, Lafourche Parish falls under the Eastern District of Louisiana. Federal court records are available through PACER at $0.10 per page after a quarterly threshold. Federal charges are filed separately from state charges and do not appear in the Lafourche Parish clerk's records.

Expungement of Criminal Records in Lafourche Parish

Expungement removes a criminal record from public view. Louisiana expungement law is set out in La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and related articles. To file in Lafourche Parish, you petition the 17th Judicial District Court in Thibodaux. The required agency fees are: $200 to the Clerk of Court, $250 to the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, $50 to the district attorney, and $50 to the sheriff. Total fees are $550 before any attorney costs.

Not all records qualify. Non-violent first offenses and arrests without convictions are the most common eligible cases. Before filing, confirm eligibility by calling the clerk's office or speaking with a local attorney. Once the court grants the expungement, the record is removed from Clerk Connect, eClerks LA, and other public tools. Law enforcement agencies retain access under conditions set by state law. The Louisiana Supreme Court self-help page has forms and guidance for those who want to handle the process without legal representation.

Cities in Lafourche Parish

Thibodaux is the parish seat of Lafourche Parish. No cities in the parish meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. For criminal court records, all cases filed in Lafourche Parish go through the Clerk of Court in Thibodaux. Communities such as Cut Off, Golden Meadow, and Lockport do not have individual pages here. Houma, which is sometimes associated with this area, is actually located in neighboring Terrebonne Parish and has its own separate clerk of court.

Nearby Parishes

Lafourche Parish borders several other parishes in southeast Louisiana. Records from those parishes are handled by their own clerks and may fall under different judicial districts.