St. Charles Parish Criminal Court Records

St. Charles Parish criminal court records are filed and kept by the Clerk of Court for the 29th Judicial District Court, based in Hahnville, the parish seat. St. Charles Parish runs along the west bank of the Mississippi River between Jefferson Parish to the east and St. John the Baptist Parish to the west. All felony criminal cases in the parish are handled by the 29th JDC, and appeals go to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal. This page covers how to find criminal case records in St. Charles Parish, what online tools are available, and how the standard Louisiana process works for in-person and mail requests.

29th Judicial District Court and Clerk of Court

The 29th Judicial District Court serves St. Charles Parish exclusively and is located in Hahnville. The Clerk of Court for the 29th JDC is the official keeper of criminal case records for the parish. This includes felony charges, court minutes, docket entries, judgments, sentencing orders, and related documents filed in district court.

For in-person visits to the St. Charles Parish Courthouse in Hahnville, bring a valid photo ID. Staff can search records by defendant name, case number, or docket number. Copy fees apply per page, and certified copies carry an additional charge. Call the clerk's office for the current fee schedule and hours before visiting, as these can change.

Background name searches are available through the clerk for a fee per name. If you need a certified written confirmation of a record search, the clerk can provide that as well. The clerk does not give legal advice, but staff can supply the correct forms for certified copy requests, expungement petitions, and other filings.

The 29th JDC falls under the 5th Circuit Court of Appeal, which is the appellate court for St. Charles along with Jefferson, St. James, and St. John the Baptist parishes. The 5th Circuit handles criminal appeals from this region before any further review by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

How to Search St. Charles Parish Criminal Records Online

The free option for online searches is eClerks LA, the statewide criminal record index portal. It covers all 64 Louisiana parishes at no charge and requires no account to use at the basic index level.

Through eClerks LA, you can search by defendant name to find case numbers, charge descriptions, and basic docket information without any cost or registration.

The eClerks LA index gives you enough information to confirm whether a case exists and identify its case number. It does not include document images. To get actual filed documents, you would need to visit the clerk in person or use a subscription service.

Clerk Connect is a paid subscription portal that offers deeper access to criminal case records and document images across multiple Louisiana parishes. Subscription options include daily, monthly, and annual plans. Confirm whether St. Charles Parish is in their current coverage before subscribing. If you need records regularly, a subscription saves time over repeated in-person trips.

Sealed records, juvenile cases, and records protected by court order are not available through any public online system. If you cannot find a case that you know exists, it may be sealed or restricted from public access.

In-Person and Mail Requests

For records not available online, visit the 29th JDC Clerk of Court office at the St. Charles Parish Courthouse in Hahnville. The courthouse is on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Bring a valid photo ID and the defendant's full name or case number. Staff will confirm what is available and calculate copy fees.

For mail requests, write to the Clerk of Court for the 29th Judicial District Court in Hahnville. Include the defendant's full name, approximate dates of court activity, case number if available, and the type of documents you are requesting. Send a check or money order for the expected copy fees. The clerk will contact you if more payment is needed. Processing time for mail requests varies, so plan accordingly.

Under La. R.S. 44:32(A), clerks must provide public records to any adult who requests them. You do not need to state a reason for your request. Records that are sealed or otherwise restricted by court order are the exception.

For lower-level criminal matters such as traffic violations and misdemeanors, records may be held at a city court rather than at the 29th JDC clerk. Contact the appropriate city court directly if you believe the case was handled at that level.

St. Charles Parish Sheriff Records

The St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, booking records, and incident reports for the parish. These records are separate from the criminal court records held by the 29th JDC clerk. Arrest records show who was booked and what initial charges were filed, but they do not reflect how a case ended in court.

To get arrest or booking records from the Sheriff's Office, contact them directly. These records are public under La. R.S. 44:1. A written request to the Records Division is the standard way to proceed. A per-page copy fee typically applies. Call the Sheriff's Office for their current address, hours, and fees before submitting a request.

For the full picture of a criminal matter in St. Charles Parish, you usually need both the arrest record from the Sheriff and the court case record from the 29th JDC clerk. Each source covers a different part of the process.

Louisiana State and Federal Resources

Several statewide and federal tools can add detail to what you find at the parish level.

The Louisiana State Police background check system costs $31. Under La. R.S. 15:587, Louisiana is a "closed record state," and the LSP check returns only conviction data. Arrests that did not result in conviction do not appear. This is the standard tool for employer and housing background checks.

The Louisiana Department of Corrections offender search is free and searchable by name. It shows current and past state inmates, custody status, facility location, and release information. This covers people who were sentenced to state custody under the Louisiana DOC.

The Louisiana Sex Offender Registry is free. You can search by name or location to find registered sex offenders in St. Charles Parish.

Federal criminal cases from St. Charles Parish fall under the Eastern District of Louisiana. You can access those records through PACER at $0.10 per page with a $3 cap per document. Most criminal cases in St. Charles Parish are handled at the state level, though federal charges can arise in cases involving the river corridor, industrial facilities, or interstate commerce.

The Louisiana Supreme Court site provides information on cases appealed to the state's highest court, including those originating in the 29th JDC.

Expungement in St. Charles Parish

If you want to have a criminal record removed from public access in St. Charles Parish, you file an expungement petition with the 29th JDC Clerk of Court. Louisiana expungement law is contained in La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and following sections. Not all records qualify. Cases dismissed before trial, acquittals, and certain other outcomes may be eligible. Most felony convictions do not qualify.

Standard fees for a Louisiana expungement 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 is roughly $550, not counting any attorney fees if you choose to hire help. An attorney is not required to file, but some people find the process easier with legal assistance.

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 seals the record from public view but does not destroy it. Law enforcement can still access sealed records. After the expungement order is processed, the record will no longer appear in public databases like eClerks LA.

Cities in St. Charles Parish

St. Charles Parish communities include Boutte, Des Allemands, Luling, Paradis, and Hahnville. None of these communities meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Criminal court records for the entire parish are handled through the 29th JDC Clerk of Court in Hahnville.

Nearby Parishes

St. Charles Parish borders Jefferson to the east, St. John the Baptist to the west, St. James to the northwest, and Lafourche to the south.