Washington Parish Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records in Washington Parish are filed and maintained by the 22nd Judicial District Court Clerk of Court in Franklinton, Louisiana. The Clerk's office holds felony and misdemeanor case files, bills of information, court minutes, and related criminal documents for cases heard in Washington Parish. The 22nd JDC is shared with St. Tammany Parish, though each parish has its own clerk's office handling local filings.

Clerk of Court: Contact and Hours

The Washington Parish Clerk of Court is Johnny D. Crain, Jr. The office is at 908-B Washington Street, Franklinton, LA 70438. Mailing address: P.O. Box 607, Franklinton, LA 70438. General phone: (985) 839-4663. Email: washparcoc@yahoo.com. The Clerk's website is at washingtonparishclerk.org.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Separate fax numbers are used for different departments. General fax: (985) 839-3116. Civil department fax: (985) 839-2925. Criminal department fax: (985) 839-7271. Send criminal records fax requests to the criminal department line to ensure faster routing.

The 22nd JDC Washington Parish Division sits at the corner of Washington and Main Streets in Franklinton. Division A can be reached at (985) 839-7845. Division E, Judge William H. Burris, is at (985) 839-7840. The 22nd JDC also has a Justice Center in Covington serving St. Tammany Parish, but Washington Parish cases are managed locally through Franklinton.

Online Access for Washington Parish Records

The Washington Parish Clerk's website offers online services for certain record types. Visit the online services section at washingtonparishclerk.org/online-services to see what is currently available. Availability of specific record types online can change, so checking the site directly is the best way to confirm current access options.

The eClerks LA portal covers Washington Parish and provides free index-level access to criminal records across all 64 Louisiana parishes. You can confirm whether a criminal case was filed in Washington Parish and get basic case details before paying for copies or traveling to Franklinton.

The Washington Parish Clerk of Court website is the starting point for understanding local records access options and available online services.

The site lists available services, forms, and contact information for different record departments within the clerk's office.

For multi-parish searches, Clerk Connect provides a paid subscription covering several parishes at once. Useful if your search involves multiple courts across Louisiana.

How to Request Criminal Records

In-person requests are accepted during business hours at 908-B Washington Street, Franklinton. Bring valid ID. Staff can search by name or case number. Having a case number ready is the fastest way to locate a specific file.

Mail requests go to P.O. Box 607, Franklinton, LA 70438. Include the subject's full legal name, date of birth, and the type of record requested. Enclose payment by check or money order for the search fee. Staff will notify you if additional copy costs apply.

Fax requests for criminal records should go to (985) 839-7271. Include all identifying information in the fax. Fax requests take longer to process than in-person visits. Always call (985) 839-4663 first if you are unsure which department handles your specific request.

Statewide Criminal Record Tools

The Louisiana State Police background check system is at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov. A search costs $31. Louisiana is a "closed record" state under La. R.S. 15:587. The LSP system returns only records cleared for public release and should not be treated as a complete court record search.

The Department of Corrections has a free offender search by name. It shows individuals currently under DOC supervision including parole and probation. The Louisiana sex offender registry is free and searchable by name or location.

The eClerks LA portal provides free index-level access to criminal case records statewide, including Washington Parish.

Use this tool as a first step to confirm case existence and basic filing details before making a formal request to the Franklinton office.

Washington Parish falls within the Eastern District of Louisiana for federal courts. Use PACER to search federal criminal records at $0.10 per page, capped at $3 per document.

Retention Rules and Public Access

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 requests them. Court records are public unless sealed by a judge or restricted by statute. Juvenile records are confidential. Victim personal information is protected from release in most cases.

La. R.S. 44:36 sets retention periods. Felony records are kept permanently. Misdemeanor records must be retained at least 10 years. Traffic records carry a 3-year minimum. These rules apply across Louisiana including Washington Parish. If a records request is denied, the Clerk must give a written reason for the denial.

Expungement in Washington Parish

Louisiana expungement law is at La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and the articles that follow. Expungement removes a record from public view but not from law enforcement access. Fees include $200 to the Clerk of Court, $250 to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, $50 to the District Attorney, and $50 to the Sheriff. Total minimum is $550.

Each arrest requires a separate petition. One filing does not cover multiple arrests. Not all records qualify. First-offense misdemeanors and some felonies may be eligible after a waiting period. Contact a local attorney to review eligibility for a specific record. The Clerk's office can confirm paperwork requirements but cannot give legal advice on whether a record qualifies.

Cities in Washington Parish

Washington Parish includes several communities. Franklinton is the parish seat and largest city, but it does not meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page on this site. Other communities including Bogalusa and Bogalusa (which straddles the Washington Parish line) are served by the 22nd JDC Clerk of Court in Franklinton. All district court criminal records for the parish are filed through the Franklinton courthouse.

Nearby Parishes

Washington Parish borders several parishes in southeastern Louisiana, each with its own clerk and judicial district for criminal records.