LaSalle Parish Criminal Records

LaSalle Parish criminal records are held by the LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court in Jena and cover all criminal cases processed through the 28th Judicial District Court, including felony charges, misdemeanor cases, and criminal dispositions; this page explains how to access LaSalle Parish criminal records in person, what documents the clerk maintains, and how Louisiana State Police criminal history data supplements what is available locally.

LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court

The LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court is the official custodian of criminal court records for the parish. The LaSalle Parish clerk's office is at 1050 Courthouse Street, Jena, LA 71342. The main phone number is (318) 992-2151. All LaSalle Parish criminal case files, minute entries, and certified copy requests for the 28th Judicial District Court are handled through this office. LaSalle Parish criminal records include felony cases, misdemeanor cases, and every criminal disposition recorded by the 28th JDC for matters originating in LaSalle Parish.

In-person inspection of LaSalle Parish criminal records is free under Louisiana Revised Statute 44:31. You have the right to walk in during business hours and review a LaSalle Parish criminal case file at no cost. Standard hours at the LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Bring a valid photo ID and the name or case number you are searching. The clerk's staff will locate the LaSalle Parish criminal file for you. If you are not sure of the exact case year or case number, the staff can search the LaSalle Parish criminal index by name and return a list of matching results.

The 28th Judicial District covers LaSalle and Catahoula parishes. Each parish has its own separate clerk of court and separate criminal records. If a criminal case might have been filed in Catahoula rather than LaSalle, you will need to contact the Catahoula Parish Clerk of Court in Harrisonburg. LaSalle Parish criminal records do not include criminal cases filed in Catahoula Parish, even though both parishes share the same 28th Judicial District.

Note: LaSalle Parish is a small rural community. Confirm that the clerk's office will be open before traveling to Jena for criminal record access, especially around holidays and court recess periods.

Searching Criminal Records in LaSalle Parish

LaSalle Parish does not currently have a public online criminal records portal. LaSalle Parish criminal record searches are done in person at the Jena courthouse or by written mail request. For in-person searches of LaSalle Parish criminal records, bring the full legal name of the defendant and any other identifying information you have. For mail requests for LaSalle Parish criminal records, write to the clerk at 1050 Courthouse Street, Jena, LA 71342 and include the subject's name, approximate LaSalle Parish case year, your return address, and a check for copy fees if you want copies.

For a criminal history search that goes beyond LaSalle Parish, Louisiana State Police maintains a statewide criminal database through BCII. Arrests made in LaSalle Parish are fingerprinted and reported to BCII. Criminal convictions and dispositions from the 28th JDC for LaSalle Parish cases also feed into the state system. An LSP criminal history report can cover LaSalle Parish criminal activity and any other Louisiana parish where the subject has a criminal record.

The Louisiana State Police background check page describes the request process, eligibility rules, and turnaround times for both name-based and fingerprint-based criminal history reports that cover LaSalle Parish and all of Louisiana.

The LSP background check page covers self-requests through the IBC portal and authorized requests through BCII for those who qualify for third-party criminal history access covering LaSalle Parish and other parishes.

If a search at the LaSalle Parish clerk's office comes back empty, remember that the criminal case might have been filed in Catahoula Parish, which shares the 28th JDC. The lack of a LaSalle Parish criminal file does not mean no criminal record exists elsewhere in the state system.

LaSalle Parish Court System

The 28th Judicial District Court serves LaSalle and Catahoula parishes. For LaSalle Parish criminal cases, the court sits at the courthouse in Jena. The 28th JDC handles all felony criminal cases in LaSalle Parish, along with civil, domestic, and juvenile matters. Criminal appeals from LaSalle Parish go to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal.

When criminal charges are filed in LaSalle Parish, the clerk opens a docket and assigns a case number. Every document filed after that, including bills of information, motions, orders, and sentencing judgments, becomes part of the permanent LaSalle Parish criminal record. Minute entries from each LaSalle Parish criminal hearing summarize what happened in court and are often the quickest way to check the status of a criminal case without reading the full file. LaSalle Parish criminal dockets cover all felony and misdemeanor matters heard by the 28th JDC.

Justice of the Peace courts handle some lower-level criminal matters in LaSalle Parish. Those criminal records may not be on file at the district court level. If you cannot find what you need at the 28th JDC clerk's office for LaSalle Parish, ask whether the criminal matter might have been resolved at a lower court in the parish.

Note: The 28th JDC is a two-parish district. LaSalle Parish criminal cases are filed with the LaSalle Parish Clerk in Jena. Catahoula Parish criminal cases are filed with the Catahoula Parish Clerk in Harrisonburg, not in Jena.

Louisiana State Criminal Records

Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information is the central repository for criminal history records in Louisiana. Arrests in LaSalle Parish are reported to BCII, and criminal dispositions from the 28th JDC for LaSalle Parish cases are added when the court reports them. A statewide BCII report can show LaSalle Parish criminal arrests and convictions alongside criminal activity from any other Louisiana jurisdiction where the subject has a record.

If you want to check your own Louisiana criminal history, including LaSalle Parish criminal records, the easiest way is through the Internet Background Check portal. The IBC portal at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov lets you submit a self-request online, pay by credit card, and receive results electronically that cover LaSalle Parish and all other Louisiana parishes.

The IBC portal is accessible any time, so you do not need to visit a state office or wait for mail to get your own criminal history report covering LaSalle Parish and the rest of Louisiana.

For people currently in state custody after criminal convictions in LaSalle Parish, the Louisiana Department of Corrections runs an offender search tool at doc.la.gov. If someone convicted in LaSalle Parish received a state prison sentence, the DOC locator can show where they are held. Local LaSalle Parish jail inmates are not in the DOC system.

Expunging Records in LaSalle Parish

Louisiana Revised Statute 44:9 is the controlling law for expungements statewide, including LaSalle Parish criminal records. It covers what criminal records can be expunged, who qualifies, and what steps must be followed. Many types of LaSalle Parish criminal offenses do not qualify. Crimes of violence, sex offenses, and certain drug offenses are excluded from expungement. Confirm eligibility before paying fees for a LaSalle Parish criminal record expungement, since all expungement fees in Louisiana are non-refundable.

The typical total cost for a Louisiana expungement, including LaSalle Parish criminal cases, is around $550. That covers the filing fee paid to the LaSalle Parish clerk and a fee paid to Louisiana State Police. The LSP portion must be paid by money order, not a personal check or credit card. A pre-filing criminal records review by the LaSalle Parish sheriff may also be required at an additional cost. None of these fees are returned if the LaSalle Parish expungement petition is denied.

To file a LaSalle Parish criminal record expungement, submit the petition to the 28th Judicial District Court through the clerk's office at 1050 Courthouse Street in Jena. The LaSalle Parish clerk will tell you which forms to use and the current filing fee. Once filed, the district attorney and law enforcement agencies have a window to object. If no valid objections are raised and the judge approves the petition, the LaSalle Parish criminal record is expunged. An attorney is not required, but given the non-refundable fees and the procedural steps involved in LaSalle Parish expungements, legal advice can help you avoid a costly mistake.

Note: An expungement of a LaSalle Parish criminal record removes it from public access, but it is not a complete erasure. State and federal agencies may retain access under specific circumstances provided for in Louisiana law.

Copy Fees and Access in LaSalle Parish

In-person inspection of LaSalle Parish criminal records at the LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court is free. La. R.S. 44:31 gives every person the right to inspect public LaSalle Parish criminal records without charge. The LaSalle Parish clerk cannot charge you simply for looking at a criminal case file during office hours. This right applies to all public LaSalle Parish criminal records.

Copies of LaSalle Parish criminal records carry fees. Plain paper copies run around $1.00 per page at most Louisiana clerks. Certified copies of LaSalle Parish criminal case documents cost more. A name-based criminal history search at the LaSalle Parish clerk level is typically around $20 per search. Confirm the current LaSalle Parish fee schedule by calling (318) 992-2151 before your visit.

For statewide criminal history reports from Louisiana State Police that cover LaSalle Parish and other parishes, the current fee schedule and forms are on the LSP BCII forms page.

The BCII forms page includes everything you need to submit a background check request to Louisiana State Police covering LaSalle Parish criminal history, including the correct form numbers and payment instructions.

Note: The LaSalle Parish clerk and Louisiana State Police are separate agencies with separate fee schedules. Pay each one independently with the correct payment method when requesting LaSalle Parish criminal records.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border or sit near LaSalle Parish. Each has its own clerk of court and district court for criminal records. Use these links to search criminal records in a parish near LaSalle.