Webster Parish Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records in Webster Parish are filed with the 26th Judicial District Court Clerk of Court in Minden, Louisiana. The Clerk maintains felony and misdemeanor case files, court minutes, bills of information, and related documents with records dating back to 1871. Webster Parish shares the 26th JDC with Bossier Parish, but each parish has its own clerk's office managing local filings. The Webster Clerk operates a separate online portal for criminal records distinct from land and civil records.

Clerk of Court: Contact and Hours

The Webster Parish Clerk of Court is Holli Vining. The office is at 410 Main Street, Minden, LA 71055. Mailing address: P.O. Box 370, Minden, LA 71058-0370. Phone: (318) 371-0366. Fax: (318) 371-0226. Email: hollivining@yahoo.com. The Clerk's website is at websterclerk.org.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The 26th JDC courthouse is at the same location on Main Street in Minden. Court Administrator Melissa W. Fox handles district court administration and can be reached at (318) 965-2217. The 26th JDC is shared with Bossier Parish, but Webster cases are managed through the Minden office.

Webster Parish records go back to 1871. Some older records exist only in paper form. For recent cases, digital access is more readily available. Contact the office in advance if you need records from before the 1980s to confirm availability and turnaround time.

Online Criminal Record Search

Webster Parish maintains a separate online portal specifically for criminal records. The criminal eSearch portal is at cotthosting.com/LAWebster. Note that this portal has experienced access issues and may show errors at times. Check the Clerk's website at websterclerk.org for the most current link and status before attempting online access.

Land and civil records are searchable through a separate portal at search.websterclerk.org. These are two distinct systems. Criminal records will not appear in the land records search. Make sure you are using the correct portal for the type of record you need.

The eClerks LA portal covers Webster Parish and provides free index-level access to criminal records statewide. It is often the most reliable free option when the local criminal eSearch portal is unavailable.

The Webster Parish Clerk of Court website lists available online services, forms, and fee schedules for record requests.

Check this site first to confirm which online portal is currently active before attempting to search criminal records remotely.

How to Request Copies

Standard copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies are $5 per document plus copy fees per page. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 370, Minden, LA 71058-0370. Include the subject's full legal name, date of birth if known, and the type of record needed. Enclose payment by check or money order.

In-person requests are handled at 410 Main Street, Minden, during business hours. Bring valid ID. Staff can search by name or case number. Having a case number ready speeds up the process. If the record is older or not yet digitized, retrieval may take additional time.

For fax requests, use (318) 371-0226. Include all identifying information. Phone the office first at (318) 371-0366 to confirm whether your request can be processed by fax or must be submitted in person or by mail. Not all record types can be faxed.

City Courts in Webster Parish

Webster Parish has two city courts that operate separately from the 26th JDC. The Minden City Court is at P.O. Box 968, Minden, LA. Phone: (318) 377-4308. The Springhill City Court is at 101 Machen Drive, Springhill, LA. Phone: (318) 539-4213.

City court records are held by those courts, not by the 26th JDC Clerk of Court. If you need a case that was heard in Minden City Court or Springhill City Court, contact those courts directly. Webster Parish also has multiple Mayor's Courts and Justice of the Peace courts handling local matters. The Clerk's office can help clarify which court handled a specific case.

Statewide Criminal Record Tools

The Louisiana State Police background check system is at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov. A name 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 differs from a court record search.

The Department of Corrections maintains a free offender search by name. It shows individuals under DOC supervision including those on parole or probation. The Louisiana sex offender registry is also free and searchable by name or address.

The Webster Parish Clerk website also provides information about the local criminal eSearch tool and other record access options.

Review the available services section of the site before contacting the office to understand what records can be accessed online versus in person.

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

This portal is a reliable alternative when the local criminal eSearch portal is not available. Use it to check case indexes before requesting copies from the Minden office.

Federal cases involving Webster Parish defendants are in the Western District of Louisiana. Use PACER to search federal records at $0.10 per page, capped at $3 per document.

Expungement in Webster Parish

Louisiana expungement law is found at La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and following articles. Expungement removes a record from public view but does not destroy it. Law enforcement can still access expunged records after an order is granted. 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 its own separate petition.

Public Records Law

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 are confidential. If the Clerk denies a request, the reason must be given in writing.

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 Webster Parish. The Louisiana Supreme Court at lasc.org provides guidance on court access and procedures.

Cities in Webster Parish

Webster Parish includes several communities. Minden is the parish seat. Springhill is another notable city. Neither Minden nor Springhill meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page on this site. All district court criminal records for communities in the parish are filed through the 26th JDC Clerk of Court in Minden.

Nearby Parishes

Webster Parish borders several parishes in northwestern Louisiana, each with its own clerk and court system for criminal records.