St. Landry Parish Criminal Court Records

St. Landry Parish criminal court records are filed and kept through the 27th Judicial District Court in Opelousas, where Clerk Charles Jagneaux and his staff handle all case filings and public access. This page explains how to search St. Landry Parish criminal court records online, in person, and by mail, with details on the available resources at the state level as well.

The 27th Judicial District Court in Opelousas

The 27th Judicial District Court serves St. Landry Parish. The courthouse is in Opelousas at 118 South Court Street. The Clerk of Court's main office is in Suite 207, with the Courts Division operating from Suite 121 on the basement floor. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The main phone number is (337) 942-5606. For matters related to the criminal division specifically, you can reach that department at extension 5113.

The clerk's office also accepts email at stldclerk@yahoo.com for general inquiries. The parish's records go back to 1813, making St. Landry Parish one of the older courthouse archives in Louisiana. If you are searching for very old records, the clerk's staff can advise on what is accessible and in what format.

The St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court website has contact details, office information, and links to relevant services. Appeals from the 27th JDC go to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal, which covers south-central Louisiana.

La. R.S. 44:1 gives the public the right to access government records, and La. R.S. 44:32(A) requires the clerk to provide that access to any adult who requests it. You do not need a specific reason or a legal interest in the case to view public criminal court records in St. Landry Parish.

Searching St. Landry Parish Criminal Court Records Online

The primary online search tool for St. Landry Parish criminal court records is the eClerks LA statewide portal. The eClerks LA statewide portal covers all 64 Louisiana parishes and provides free index-level access to adult criminal records.

You can search by name or case number without creating an account. Results include charges, filing dates, case status, and disposition information. This tool is a good starting point before deciding if you need to request full documents from the courthouse.

eClerks LA shows index-level data. It confirms whether a record exists and gives you key details. Full case documents, certified copies, and records that predate the online system require a direct request to the clerk's office in Opelousas. Juvenile records are sealed under Louisiana law and are not available through any public search tool.

In-Person and Mail Requests in St. Landry Parish

To request records in person, visit the clerk's office at 118 South Court Street, Suite 207, Opelousas, LA 70570. Alternatively, you can mail requests to P.O. Box 750, Opelousas, LA 70571. Bring or include the full name of the person and any case number or date range you have. That information helps staff locate the file quickly.

Standard Louisiana clerk copy fees apply. Uncertified copies are typically $1 per page. Certified copies, which carry the clerk's official seal, cost more and are required for certain legal uses. If mailing a request, include a check or money order for the estimated copy cost. Processing times depend on how many documents you request and the clerk office's current workload.

For criminal division matters, remember that department is reachable at ext. 5113. The Courts Division is in Suite 121, one floor below the main office. If you go in person, knowing which floor and suite to start with can save time.

Types of Criminal Records in St. Landry Parish

Criminal court records from the 27th JDC include charging documents, indictments, plea agreements, verdicts, sentencing orders, and probation-related filings. Records go back to 1813, so the archive is extensive. Not all older records are in digital form. Some pre-digitization files are only available in paper format at the courthouse.

La. R.S. 44:36 sets retention rules for Louisiana clerks. Felony conviction records are permanent. Misdemeanor records must be kept at least 10 years. Traffic records must be kept at least 3 years. If you are searching for a case from decades ago, call the clerk's office before visiting to confirm availability.

Arrest records that never made it to a formal court filing are held by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office, not the Clerk of Court. The sheriff's office is at 1592 E. Prudhomme Street in Opelousas and can be reached at (337) 948-6516. The District Attorney's office is at 231 S. Union Street in Opelousas and can be reached at (337) 948-3041.

State-Level Criminal Record Tools

Several state-level resources supplement the parish-level search for St. Landry cases.

The Louisiana State Police maintains the state's criminal record repository under La. R.S. 15:578. The LSP background check portal costs $31 and returns a compiled statewide conviction record. Louisiana is a closed record state under La. R.S. 15:587, meaning the official LSP check does not include arrests without a resulting conviction. It is not a substitute for a court records search but gives efficient statewide coverage.

The Louisiana Department of Corrections provides a free offender search for current and former DOC-supervised individuals. The Louisiana Sex Offender Registry is also free and lets you search by name or location statewide.

Federal criminal cases involving St. Landry Parish go through the Western District of Louisiana. Search federal records through PACER at $0.10 per page with a $3 cap per document. The Western District of Louisiana website has additional court information.

Expungement in St. Landry Parish

Louisiana expungement law is found in La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and related articles. Expungement removes a record from public access. First-time non-violent offenders often qualify. Arrests that did not result in conviction can sometimes be cleared more quickly than conviction records.

To start the process, file a motion with the 27th JDC in Opelousas. Fees are set: $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. The total is $550. Some fee exemptions exist based on financial need.

An expungement removes the record from public tools like eClerks LA and the clerk's public files. It does not erase the record from law enforcement databases. Police and prosecutors retain access under certain conditions. Juvenile records in St. Landry Parish are sealed by default and are not part of the public records system.

Cities in St. Landry Parish

Opelousas is the parish seat and the largest city in St. Landry Parish. Other communities include Eunice, Washington, Port Barre, and Sunset. None of the cities in St. Landry Parish meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All criminal court records for any location within St. Landry Parish are filed and maintained through the Clerk of Court in Opelousas.

Nearby Parishes

St. Landry Parish is in south-central Louisiana and shares borders with several other parishes, each with its own clerk of court and judicial district.