Tangipahoa Parish Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records in Tangipahoa Parish are filed and maintained by the 21st Judicial District Court Clerk of Court, based in Amite City. The office holds felony and misdemeanor case files, court minutes, bills of information, and related documents going back many decades. Records are open to the public and can be accessed in person, through an online subscription, or via statewide search tools that cover all 64 Louisiana parishes.

Clerk of Court: Primary Source for Criminal Records

The Tangipahoa Parish Clerk of Court is at 110 N Bay Street, Amite, LA 70422. Phone: (985) 748-4146. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The 21st Judicial District covers Tangipahoa Parish only, so all district court criminal filings for the parish come through this office.

Records held by the Clerk include felony charges, misdemeanor cases, bills of information, minute entries, sentencing documents, and pleadings. Felony records are kept permanently. Misdemeanor records have a minimum 10-year retention under La. R.S. 44:36. DWI cases also carry a 10-year retention period. Walk-in requests are welcome. Bring valid ID when you visit.

The Clerk makes a free public computer available in the Criminal Department. Anyone can use it at no charge to search criminal records during business hours. This is a good option if you want to confirm a case exists before paying for copies.

Fees and How to Request Copies

Criminal record name searches cost $20 per name. That fee covers the time staff spend pulling and reviewing records. Conformed copies are $3 each. Certified copies run $5 each. Pleadings cost $1 per page.

To request records by mail, write to the Clerk of Court at 110 N Bay Street, Amite, LA 70422. Include the full legal name of the subject, date of birth if known, and the type of record needed. Enclose a check or money order for the search fee. Staff will reach out if copy costs apply.

Fax requests go to the Criminal Department at (985) 747-3387. Fax requests take longer to process than in-person visits. Include a case number if you have one. That speeds up the search.

Online Criminal Record Search Options

The 21st JDC offers a criminal eSearch subscription for remote access. Rates are $20 per day, $40 per month, or $300 per year. Civil eSearch is priced the same. These subscriptions let you run name-based criminal searches without driving to Amite City.

The eClerks LA portal also covers Tangipahoa Parish. It gives free index-level access to criminal records across all 64 Louisiana parishes. You can confirm a case exists and get basic filing details before requesting certified copies from the Clerk.

For deeper multi-parish searches, Clerk Connect offers a subscription service covering several parishes at once. It costs more than eClerks LA but can pull records from multiple court systems in one session.

Hammond City Court

Hammond operates its own city court separate from the 21st JDC. The Hammond City Court handles adult criminal cases, juvenile criminal matters, civil disputes, small claims, and evictions for the 7th Ward. It is located at 303 East Thomas Street, Hammond, LA 70401. Phone: (985) 542-3455. The court's website is at citycourt.org.

City court records are separate from 21st JDC records. If you need a case filed in Hammond City Court, contact that court directly. The Clerk of Court in Amite does not hold Hammond City Court records. Knowing which court handled a case is important before you make a records request.

Statewide Criminal Record Tools

Several statewide tools supplement parish-level records. The Louisiana State Police runs the official background check system at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov. A name search costs $31. Louisiana is a "closed record" state under La. R.S. 15:587, so the LSP database only returns certain record types that are cleared for public release.

The Department of Corrections has a free offender search tool. It shows current and past DOC offenders by name and is useful for checking parole or custody status. The Louisiana sex offender registry is also free and searchable by name or location.

The eClerks LA portal gives free index-level access to criminal case records across all Louisiana parishes, including Tangipahoa.

This tool is a useful first step before paying for certified copies or submitting a formal request to the Clerk.

For federal cases involving Tangipahoa Parish defendants, use PACER. The parish falls within the Eastern District of Louisiana. PACER charges $0.10 per page, capped at $3 per document.

Expungement in Tangipahoa Parish

Louisiana expungement law is found at La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and the articles that follow. An expungement removes a record from public view but does not destroy it. Law enforcement and certain state agencies can still access expunged records even after the order is granted.

Fees to file an expungement in Tangipahoa 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 minimum cost is $550. You must file a separate expungement petition for each arrest. One petition does not cover multiple arrests.

Not all charges are eligible. First-offense misdemeanors and some felonies may qualify after a waiting period. A licensed attorney can assess whether a specific arrest qualifies. The Clerk's office cannot give legal advice but can confirm that paperwork is complete before filing.

Public Records Law in Louisiana

La. R.S. 44:1 defines public records in Louisiana. La. R.S. 44:32(A) requires that public records be provided to any adult who asks. Court records are generally public unless sealed by a judge or restricted by law. Juvenile records, mental health records, and certain victim information are not open to the public.

La. R.S. 44:36 sets retention periods. Felony records are permanent. Misdemeanor records must be kept at least 10 years. Traffic records carry a 3-year minimum. These rules apply statewide, including in Tangipahoa Parish. If the Clerk denies a request, the reason must be given in writing.

Cities in Tangipahoa Parish

Tangipahoa Parish includes several communities. Hammond is the largest city and the only one in the parish that meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page. Other communities including Amite City, Ponchatoula, Kentwood, and Independence are all served by the 21st JDC Clerk of Court in Amite City.

Nearby Parishes

Tangipahoa Parish borders several parishes, each with its own clerk and judicial district for criminal records.