St. Bernard Parish Criminal Court Records

St. Bernard Parish criminal court records are filed and maintained by the Clerk of Court for the 34th Judicial District Court, based in Chalmette, the parish seat. St. Bernard sits just east of New Orleans and is part of the greater New Orleans metro area. All felony and most serious misdemeanor criminal cases in the parish go through the 34th JDC, and appeals from that court go to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal. This page explains where to find criminal records, how to search online, what the in-person process looks like, and what state tools can supplement your search.

34th Judicial District Court and Clerk of Court

The 34th Judicial District Court serves St. Bernard Parish and is located in Chalmette. The Clerk of Court for the 34th JDC is the official custodian of all criminal case records filed in the parish at the district court level. This includes felony charges, court minutes, docket entries, judgments, sentencing orders, and related court documents.

To request records in person, go to the Clerk of Court office in the St. Bernard Parish Courthouse in Chalmette. Bring a valid photo ID. Staff can search by defendant name, case number, or docket number. Plain copy fees apply per page. Certified copies cost more. Call ahead to get the current fee schedule and confirm office hours before your visit.

For background name searches, the clerk typically charges a per-name fee. The clerk does not provide legal advice but can hand you the proper forms for expungement petitions, certified copy requests, and similar filings. If you are not sure which court handled a particular case, start with the clerk's office and they can help point you in the right direction.

The 34th JDC falls under the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal, which also covers Orleans and Plaquemines parishes. This is the appellate court for criminal convictions from St. Bernard Parish, and its decisions can be reviewed by the Louisiana Supreme Court at 500 Royal Street in New Orleans.

How to Search St. Bernard Parish Criminal Records Online

The free starting point for searching St. Bernard Parish criminal records is eClerks LA, the statewide criminal record index portal. It covers all 64 Louisiana parishes and lets you search at no cost.

A search through eClerks LA will return defendant names, case numbers, charge descriptions, and basic docket information. No account or payment is required for this index-level access.

eClerks LA shows index data, not document images. To get copies of actual court filings, you need to visit the clerk in person or use a subscription service. Clerk Connect is a paid multi-parish portal with document image access for participating parishes. Check whether St. Bernard is included in their current coverage before subscribing.

Sealed records, juvenile case files, and records involving certain protected categories are not accessible through any public online system. If a record does not appear in your online search, it may be sealed rather than absent. The clerk's office can confirm whether a record exists but is restricted.

In-Person and Mail Requests in St. Bernard Parish

For records not found online, your options are visiting the 34th JDC clerk's office in person or sending a written mail request. Both approaches work, though in-person visits are generally faster if you can make the trip.

The Chalmette courthouse is the main location for criminal court records. Bring the defendant's full name, any known case number, and a valid photo ID. Staff will confirm what records exist and calculate copy fees. You pay at the time of the request or when you pick up copies, depending on how the office handles the transaction.

For mail requests, address your letter to the Clerk of Court for the 34th Judicial District Court. Include the full name of the defendant, approximate dates of court activity, case number if known, and the type of records you need. Send payment or a check made out to the clerk's office for the expected copy fees. The clerk will contact you if additional payment is needed.

Louisiana law under La. R.S. 44:32(A) requires clerks to provide public records to any adult who asks. You do not need to explain why you want the records. Records that are sealed, expunged, or otherwise restricted by court order are the exception.

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Records

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, booking records, and incident reports. These are separate from the criminal court records held by the 34th JDC clerk. Arrest records show who was booked and what charges were initially filed. They do not show how the case ended in court.

If you need arrest or booking records from the Sheriff's Office, contact them directly. Records from the Sheriff are public under La. R.S. 44:1. Submit a written request to the Records Division. A per-page copy fee applies. Call the Sheriff's Office for current contact information, hours, and fees before submitting a request.

For a complete picture of a criminal matter, you typically need both the arrest record from the Sheriff and the case record from the clerk. The two records tell different parts of the story.

Louisiana State and Federal Resources

State and federal tools can help when parish-level records are incomplete or when you need a broader search.

The Louisiana State Police background check system costs $31. Louisiana is a "closed record state" under La. R.S. 15:587. The LSP check returns conviction data only. Arrests without convictions do not appear. This is the standard tool used by employers and housing providers for formal background screening.

The Louisiana Department of Corrections offender search is free. You can look up current and past state inmates by name and see their custody status, facility, and release dates. This covers people who served or are serving sentences in state DOC custody.

The Louisiana Sex Offender Registry is free. Search by name or location to find registered sex offenders in St. Bernard Parish.

Federal criminal cases from St. Bernard Parish fall under the Eastern District of Louisiana. Access federal case records through PACER at $0.10 per page, with a $3 maximum per document. Most criminal matters in St. Bernard Parish are handled at the state level, though certain federal charges can arise in cases involving the port, waterways, or interstate activity in the area.

Expungement in St. Bernard Parish

To have a criminal record removed from public access in St. Bernard Parish, you file an expungement petition with the 34th JDC clerk's office. Louisiana expungement law is found in La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and following sections. Not every record qualifies. Cases that were dismissed, resulted in acquittal, or meet specific statutory criteria may be eligible. Most felony convictions do not qualify unless set aside under narrow legal circumstances.

Standard expungement fees in Louisiana include $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 base cost runs around $550. Attorney fees are extra if you hire one, though it is not required by law.

Under La. R.S. 44:36, felony records are permanent. Misdemeanor records are kept at least 10 years. Traffic records are kept at least 3 years. An expungement does not destroy the record but seals it from public view. Law enforcement can still access sealed records. Public databases like eClerks LA will no longer display the record after the expungement is processed and the order is served on the relevant agencies.

Cities in St. Bernard Parish

Chalmette is the main community in St. Bernard Parish and serves as the parish seat. Other communities include Arabi, Meraux, and Violet. None of these communities exceed the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Criminal court records for the entire parish are handled through the 34th JDC Clerk of Court in Chalmette.

Nearby Parishes

St. Bernard Parish is bordered by Orleans to the west and Plaquemines to the south, with St. Tammany across Lake Borgne to the north.