West Feliciana Parish Criminal Court Records

Criminal court records in West Feliciana Parish are filed with the 20th Judicial District Court Clerk of Court in St. Francisville, Louisiana. The Clerk holds felony and misdemeanor case files, court minutes, and related criminal documents. The 20th JDC is shared with East Feliciana and St. Helena Parishes. West Feliciana criminal cases are managed through the St. Francisville courthouse. The parish has a small population and criminal record access is primarily in person or through statewide online tools.

Clerk of Court: Contact and Hours

The West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court is Stewart Hughes. The office is at 4785 Prosperity Street, St. Francisville, LA 70775. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1843, St. Francisville, LA 70775. Phone: (225) 635-3794. Fax: (225) 635-3770. Email: westfelcoc@gmail.com or wfelicianaclerk@bellsouth.net. The Clerk's website is at westfelicianaclerkofcourt.org.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The 20th JDC courthouse is at the corner of Prosperity and Ferdinand Streets in St. Francisville. Walk-in requests are accepted during business hours. Bring valid ID. For older records, contact the office in advance to confirm availability and retrieval time.

The Clerk holds a range of historical records. Marriage records date from 1879. Court and probate records begin around 1900. Land records go back to 1811. Not all of these records are in digital form. For records predating the 1980s, in-person access or a direct mail request is the most practical approach.

Criminal Records Access

Criminal record access in West Feliciana Parish is primarily in person. The Clerk's office does not operate a public-facing online criminal case search portal. For most requests, you will need to visit the St. Francisville office or submit a written request by mail. The free eClerks LA statewide portal is the best remote option for checking whether a case was filed.

eRecording for document submissions is available through CSC-Corporation Service Company. Call (866) 652-0111 for information on eRecording services. This is separate from criminal record searches and applies primarily to filing documents rather than retrieving existing records.

Standard copy fees and certification fees apply for all records. Contact the office at (225) 635-3794 to confirm current fee amounts before mailing payment. Fees can change and the most current rates are always available by phone or through the Clerk's website.

Online Search Tools

The eClerks LA portal covers West Feliciana Parish and provides free index-level access to criminal records across all 64 Louisiana parishes. This is the most practical remote tool for checking whether a criminal case was filed in West Feliciana Parish before making a trip to St. Francisville or sending a written request.

The West Feliciana Clerk of Court website has information on available services, forms, and how to contact the office for records requests.

Review the site before contacting the office to understand the request process, available record types, and which contact method works best for your specific need.

For multi-parish searches, Clerk Connect offers a paid subscription covering several parishes. Useful if your search involves criminal records across more than one court system in Louisiana.

Sheriff and District Attorney

The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff is Brian Spillman. Phone: (225) 635-3241. The Sheriff holds arrest records. If you need information about an arrest, start with the Sheriff's Office. Arrest records and court case files are separate systems. A person may be arrested without charges ever being filed in court.

The District Attorney is Samuel D'Aquilla. Phone: (225) 635-4612. The DA's office handles felony prosecutions for the 20th JDC. If you are trying to confirm whether charges were filed or dismissed in a specific case, the DA's office can sometimes provide that information more quickly than a formal records request to the Clerk.

The West Feliciana Detention Center is at 4834 Feliciana Street, St. Francisville. Phone: (225) 784-3148. Detention records and booking information are held at the Detention Center and by the Sheriff, not by the Clerk of Court.

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 full court record search.

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

The eClerks LA portal is the most useful free remote tool for checking West Feliciana Parish criminal case indexes.

Use this portal as a first step to confirm whether a case exists and what court filed it before submitting a formal request to the St. Francisville office.

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

Expungement in West Feliciana Parish

Louisiana expungement law is at La. C.Cr.P. Art. 971 and following articles. Expungement removes a record from public access but law enforcement agencies retain access after the order is granted. Filing fees include $200 to the Clerk, $250 to the Louisiana 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. One filing does not cover multiple arrests.

Eligibility depends on the charge type and whether the required waiting period has passed. First-offense misdemeanors and some felony charges may qualify. Contact a licensed attorney to assess whether a specific record is eligible before filing. The Clerk's office can confirm what documents are required to file but cannot advise on whether a particular charge qualifies.

Public Records Law

La. R.S. 44:1 defines public records in Louisiana. La. R.S. 44:32(A) requires that public records be given to any adult who requests them. Court records are generally public unless sealed by a judge or restricted by law. Juvenile records are confidential. Victim personal information is protected. If a records request is denied, the Clerk must provide the reason in writing.

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 statewide including in West Feliciana Parish. The Louisiana Supreme Court at lasc.org provides guidance on court access and procedures across the state.

Cities in West Feliciana Parish

West Feliciana Parish is a small, rural parish. St. Francisville is the parish seat and primary community. No cities in West Feliciana Parish meet the population threshold for a dedicated records page on this site. All criminal court records for the parish are handled through the 20th JDC Clerk of Court at 4785 Prosperity Street, St. Francisville.

Nearby Parishes

West Feliciana Parish borders several parishes in south-central Louisiana, each with its own clerk and court system for criminal records.