St. James Parish Criminal Records
St. James Parish criminal records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Convent and cover all criminal cases filed through the 23rd Judicial District Court. This page explains how to search St. James Parish criminal case records, request copies of St. James Parish criminal court documents, and find related criminal history records from state and local agencies serving St. James Parish.
St. James Parish Quick Facts
St. James Parish Clerk of Court
The St. James Parish Clerk of Court is the official keeper of all criminal court records for the parish. The mailing address is P.O. Box 63, Convent, LA 70723. The St. James Parish clerk's office phone is (225) 562-2270. All St. James Parish criminal cases filed through the 23rd Judicial District Court are indexed and stored here. The St. James Parish clerk's office handles requests for criminal case lookups, copies of filed criminal documents, and certified St. James Parish criminal records.
Under Louisiana Revised Statute 44:31, any person has the right to inspect St. James Parish public criminal records during regular business hours at no charge. You do not need to give a reason to view a St. James Parish criminal record. You must present a valid photo ID when you visit the office. Standard office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The St. James Parish clerk's office is closed on state and federal holidays.
Copy fees for St. James Parish criminal records follow the standard Louisiana schedule. Plain paper copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. A name-based St. James Parish criminal history search through the clerk runs $5.00 per name. If you need a large volume of St. James Parish criminal documents, call ahead so the clerk can set aside time to pull the files.
The Louisiana Secretary of State maintains a statewide directory of clerks. If you are unsure which office handles a specific St. James Parish criminal matter, the Louisiana Secretary of State website at sos.la.gov has contact information for all parish clerks.
| Mailing Address | P.O. Box 63, Convent, LA 70723 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (225) 562-2270 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Copy Fee | $1.00 per page |
| Certified Copy | $5.00 per document |
| Name Search Fee | $5.00 per name |
Searching Criminal Records in St. James Parish
To search St. James Parish criminal records at the Clerk of Court, you will need the full name of the person you are searching for and, if possible, a date of birth or approximate year of a St. James Parish criminal court case. The St. James Parish clerk can search by name and pull up any criminal case filings associated with that person. Having a St. James Parish criminal case number speeds the process considerably if you already know it.
In-person searches are the most direct option for St. James Parish criminal records. The clerk's office staff can run a name search while you wait during normal business hours. For written requests by mail, send the St. James Parish criminal records search request to P.O. Box 63, Convent, LA 70723, along with a check or money order for the applicable fees. Include the full name, date of birth if known, and any St. James Parish criminal case number you have. Mail requests take longer, and the St. James Parish clerk may contact you if additional information is needed before completing the criminal records search.
St. James Parish does not currently have its own standalone online criminal case search portal. However, the Louisiana Supreme Court's lasc.org website provides some statewide appellate court records for cases appealed from St. James Parish criminal convictions. For trial-level St. James Parish criminal case lookups, the clerk's office remains the primary source. The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association at louisianaclerks.org can also point you to the right resource if you need help locating a specific St. James Parish criminal record.
The lead-in sentence before the image below shows the Louisiana State Police background check page, which is one of the main state-level tools for accessing statewide criminal history data beyond what the St. James Parish clerk holds.
The Louisiana State Police background checks page at lsp.org explains how to request a statewide criminal history check through BCII.
A state-level background check through LSP pulls criminal records from across all parishes, not just St. James Parish, which makes it useful when you need a complete picture of someone's criminal history beyond St. James Parish.
Note: If a St. James Parish criminal case was sealed or expunged, it will not appear in a clerk search or a state background check, so a clean result does not always mean no record ever existed.
St. James Parish Court System
St. James Parish is part of the 23rd Judicial District. The 23rd JDC covers St. James, Assumption, and Ascension parishes. The district court handles all felony St. James Parish criminal cases as well as major civil matters filed within these three parishes. The courthouse for St. James Parish criminal matters is in Convent. Judges rotate among the three parishes within the district and hear St. James Parish criminal cases on scheduled dates.
Appeals from St. James Parish criminal convictions in the 23rd JDC go to the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal. The First Circuit serves the parishes in southeastern Louisiana, including the River Parishes area where St. James Parish is located. If a St. James Parish criminal case is appealed further, it goes to the Louisiana Supreme Court in New Orleans. The Louisiana Supreme Court website at lasc.org has opinions and docket information for St. James Parish criminal cases that reach that level.
Misdemeanor and traffic matters in St. James Parish may be handled at the justice of the peace level or through the district court, depending on the specific charge and location within the parish. If you are unsure which court holds a specific St. James Parish criminal record, contact the St. James Parish clerk at (225) 562-2270 for guidance.
State Criminal Records Resources
The Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, known as BCII, is the central repository for criminal history records in Louisiana. BCII compiles arrest and conviction data from law enforcement agencies across all parishes, including St. James Parish. A BCII background check is the most complete way to see a person's criminal history across the whole state rather than just St. James Parish criminal records alone.
The Louisiana State Police website at lsp.org covers how to submit a background check request, what forms are needed, and the applicable fees for St. James Parish and statewide criminal history. Individual name-based checks can be submitted by mail or in person. Fingerprint-based checks are more thorough and are required for certain professional licenses and government positions.
The Louisiana State Police homepage is the starting point for background check requests and information on BCII services including St. James Parish criminal history and statewide records.
From the LSP homepage, you can navigate to BCII services, find forms, and get details on fees for both name-based and fingerprint-based St. James Parish criminal history checks.
The Louisiana Department of Public Safety also operates the Internet Background Check portal. The IBC portal at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov lets individuals run their own name-based criminal history check online, which includes St. James Parish criminal records and records from all other Louisiana parishes. Third-party searches through this portal are subject to restrictions under state law.
The Louisiana Department of Corrections at doc.la.gov maintains an offender search tool for people currently incarcerated in state prison or on supervised release following St. James Parish criminal convictions. If someone was convicted of a crime in St. James Parish and sent to a state facility, the DOC offender search will show their current custody status and location.
Expunging Criminal Records in St. James Parish
Louisiana law allows certain St. James Parish criminal records to be expunged under La. R.S. 44:9. An expungement removes the public record of a St. James Parish arrest or conviction from databases maintained by the clerk of court and the Louisiana State Police. Not all St. James Parish criminal offenses are eligible. Crimes of violence, sex offenses, and other specific categories cannot be expunged under state law. If you are eligible, the process involves filing a petition with the 23rd JDC through the St. James Parish Clerk of Court.
The standard cost for a St. James Parish misdemeanor or felony criminal record expungement in Louisiana comes to approximately $550.00 total. Of that amount, $300.00 goes to the St. James Parish clerk of court, and $250.00 goes to the Louisiana State Police. The LSP portion must be paid by USPS money order only. All fees are non-refundable, so it is worth confirming St. James Parish criminal record expungement eligibility before you pay.
There are waiting periods under R.S. 44:9 for St. James Parish criminal record expungements. For a misdemeanor conviction, you must wait two years from the completion of your sentence. For a first-offense felony conviction that was set aside under Article 893, you must wait five years. St. James Parish arrests that did not lead to conviction may be eligible sooner. An attorney familiar with Louisiana expungement law can review your specific St. James Parish criminal situation and help you file the petition correctly.
Note: Once a St. James Parish criminal record expungement order is granted, the clerk removes the record from public view, but certain law enforcement agencies may still retain access under limited circumstances allowed by R.S. 44:9.
Record Access and Copy Fees in St. James Parish
Public St. James Parish criminal records are open for inspection at no charge under R.S. 44:31. You can come to the St. James Parish clerk's office and view criminal case files in person without paying a fee. The free inspection right applies to all public St. James Parish criminal records during normal business hours. You do not need to explain why you want to see a St. James Parish criminal record.
If you need copies of St. James Parish criminal records, the standard fee schedule applies. Plain copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document. A name-based St. James Parish criminal record search costs $5.00 per name searched. These fees are consistent with the statewide schedule set under Louisiana law. For large St. James Parish criminal record requests, you may want to call the office first to confirm availability and any additional handling time that may be needed.
Mail requests for St. James Parish criminal records are accepted. Send your written request to P.O. Box 63, Convent, LA 70723. Include the full name of the subject, the type of St. James Parish criminal records you need, and payment for the applicable fees. The St. James Parish clerk accepts checks and money orders payable to the St. James Parish Clerk of Court. Do not send cash by mail.
The BCII forms page at lsp.org lists the forms needed for state-level background check requests submitted to the Louisiana State Police.
The BCII forms page shows which form to use for name-based versus fingerprint-based requests, along with current fees and mailing instructions for submitting a statewide background check that covers St. James Parish criminal records and all other parishes.
Nearby Parishes
These parishes are adjacent to St. James Parish. Each has its own clerk of court. Use these links if you need to search criminal records in a neighboring parish.