St. Tammany Parish Criminal Court Records

St. Tammany Parish criminal court records are maintained by the Clerk of Court for the 22nd Judicial District Court, with a main office in Covington and a branch office in Slidell. St. Tammany is one of the fastest-growing parishes in Louisiana, and its court system handles a high volume of criminal case filings across the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. This page covers how to search criminal records in St. Tammany Parish, what online systems are available, how in-person and mail requests work, fees, and what state and federal tools can supplement your search.

The 22nd Judicial District Court

The 22nd Judicial District Court serves St. Tammany and Washington parishes. Jessica Jenkins Brewster is the current Clerk of Court for St. Tammany Parish. The main office is at 701 N. Columbia Street, Covington, LA 70433. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1090, Covington, LA 70434. The main phone number is (985) 809-8700.

The Covington office is where the bulk of criminal case records are filed and stored. This includes felony charges, court minutes, docket entries, judgments, sentencing orders, and related court documents. Criminal records in the system go back to 1988. Document images are available for records filed on or after April 25, 2019. Older filings may require in-person review or a certified copy request for the actual documents.

For criminal records matters at the Covington office, you can call the Bond Court line at (985) 809-5399 or the Criminal Records line at (985) 809-8732. These direct lines can help you confirm whether a record exists, get current fees, or ask about the status of a request before making the drive to Covington.

The 22nd JDC falls under the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal. The 1st Circuit is the appellate court for criminal convictions from St. Tammany Parish. Cases not resolved at the 1st Circuit may be appealed further to the Louisiana Supreme Court.

The clerk's website is the starting point for online record access, subscription account setup, and contact information for both the Covington and Slidell offices.

How to Search St. Tammany Parish Criminal Records Online

St. Tammany Parish offers more online search options than most Louisiana parishes. The clerk's office uses the Odyssey case management system, which is accessible through several portals.

The re:SearchLA portal is available at ssl.sttammanyclerk.org and also at researchla.tylerhost.net. This is the Odyssey WebROA system used by the clerk. It provides access to case indexes and docket information for St. Tammany Parish criminal cases. Subscription fees for Odyssey WebROA are $20 for 24 hours, $40 per month, $120 for 3 months, $240 for 6 months, or $480 per year.

This portal lets you search criminal case dockets by defendant name or case number and view document images for filings from April 2019 onward.

The clerk also offers a Legacy Public Records Program with its own subscription tier. Legacy rates are $20 for 24 hours, $30 per month, $90 for 3 months, $180 for 6 months, or $360 per year. Copy and print fees through the Legacy system are $0.35 per page. Land records cost $10 per document plus $0.35 per page. Court records cost $5 per document plus $0.35 per page.

This portal serves as another way to reach the same Odyssey case management system, useful if you already have a Tyler Technologies account from another jurisdiction.

For a free index-level search, use eClerks LA, the statewide portal that covers all 64 Louisiana parishes at no cost. This gives you defendant names, case numbers, and charge descriptions without a subscription. Document images require a paid account.

Note that sealed cases are not available online regardless of what system you use. Juvenile records are also confidential under Louisiana law. If a case you are looking for does not appear, it may be sealed, or the filing may predate the electronic records available in the system.

In-Person and Mail Requests at the Covington Office

The main Covington office at 701 N. Columbia Street handles the full range of criminal record requests for St. Tammany Parish. For in-person visits, bring a valid photo ID and the defendant's full name or case number. Staff at the Criminal Records line at (985) 809-8732 can confirm what is available before you make the trip.

Background name searches cost $20 per name. Defendant history reports cost $1 per page. Certified extracts of court minutes cost $10 each. Standard copy fees are $0.50 per page. Certified copies are $3 each.

For mail requests, write to the Clerk of Court at P.O. Box 1090, Covington, LA 70434. Include the defendant's full name, approximate dates of court activity, case number if known, and the type of records you need. Send a check or money order for the expected fees. The clerk will contact you if more payment is required. Processing times vary, so plan for at least a few business days plus mail time.

Under La. R.S. 44:32(A), clerks must provide public records to any adult who asks. You do not need to give a reason for the request. Sealed cases, juvenile files, and records restricted by court order are exceptions to this rule.

Slidell Annex Office

The Slidell Annex office serves the eastern part of St. Tammany Parish. It is located at 520 Old Spanish Trail, 5th Floor, Slidell, LA 70458. The phone number is (985) 643-6969. Hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday, with the office closed for lunch from 1 PM to 2 PM daily.

The Slidell office can handle many of the same records requests as the Covington main office and is more convenient for residents in Slidell and the eastern part of the parish. If you are not sure whether to go to Covington or Slidell, call either office and they can direct you based on what you need.

Slidell is one of the qualifying cities on this site. For more information specific to Slidell, see the Slidell criminal records page.

Types of Criminal Court Records Available

The St. Tammany Parish Clerk of Court holds a range of criminal case records going back to 1988 for case data and to April 25, 2019 for document images. The types of records you can request include charge filings, case dockets, court minutes, bond information, judgments, sentencing orders, and probation or parole records tied to court cases.

Criminal records are organized by defendant name and case number. If you have a case number, searches are faster. If you only have a name, staff will search by name and return all matching cases. Common spelling variations can affect search results, so try alternate spellings if you do not get results on the first try.

Records that are sealed are not accessible to the public. This includes cases expunged by court order, juvenile records, and records restricted by specific statutory provisions. The clerk can confirm whether a case exists but may not be able to tell you the details if it is sealed.

Under La. R.S. 44:36, the minimum retention periods for criminal records are: felony records permanent, misdemeanor records at least 10 years, and traffic records at least 3 years. St. Tammany's electronic system goes back to 1988, so most records you might search for are likely available in the system.

Louisiana State and Federal Resources

State and federal databases can fill gaps when parish-level records are not enough.

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. Employers and housing providers typically use this for formal screening.

The Louisiana Department of Corrections offender search is free. Search by name to find current and past DOC inmates, their custody status, facility location, and release dates.

The Louisiana Sex Offender Registry is free. Search by name or location for registered sex offenders in St. Tammany Parish.

Federal criminal cases from St. Tammany Parish fall under the Eastern District of Louisiana. Access federal records through PACER at $0.10 per page with a $3 cap per document. The Louisiana Supreme Court website provides case information for matters appealed to the state's highest court.

Expungement in St. Tammany Parish

To have a criminal record sealed from public access in St. Tammany Parish, you file an expungement petition with the 22nd JDC Clerk of Court. Louisiana expungement law is in La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and following sections. Dismissed cases, acquittals, and certain other outcomes may qualify. Most felony convictions do not.

The fee structure for a standard expungement in St. Tammany Parish is: Clerk of Court $200, Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information $250, District Attorney $50, and Sheriff $50. For DWI-related expungements, an additional fee of $50 applies to the Office of Motor Vehicles. Base total for a standard expungement is roughly $550, and DWI cases add $50 more, for a total around $600 before any attorney costs.

You can file without an attorney, but many people find the process easier with legal help. Once the court grants the expungement order, the clerk and other agencies seal the record from public view. Law enforcement retains access. The record will no longer appear in public databases like eClerks LA or the re:SearchLA portal after the order is processed.

Cities in St. Tammany Parish

St. Tammany Parish includes Covington, the parish seat, along with Slidell, Mandeville, Bogalusa (partially), and several other communities. Of these, Slidell is the only city that meets the population threshold for a dedicated page on this site. Other cities and towns in the parish use the 22nd JDC clerk for their criminal records regardless of city size.

Nearby Parishes

St. Tammany Parish is bordered by Washington to the north, Tangipahoa to the west, and St. John the Baptist to the southwest, with Orleans and St. Bernard across Lake Pontchartrain to the south.