Find Vermilion Parish Criminal Records

Vermilion Parish criminal records are kept by the Clerk of Court in Abbeville and filed through the 15th Judicial District Court, covering criminal cases that include felony charges, misdemeanor offenses, arrests, indictments, and convictions originating in Vermilion Parish.

Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court

The Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court in Abbeville is the official keeper of criminal court records for Vermilion Parish. The office address is 100 N. State St, Abbeville, LA 70510. The main phone is (337) 898-1992. All criminal cases filed through the 15th Judicial District Court for Vermilion Parish are indexed and maintained at this office, including felony charges, misdemeanor records, indictments, arrest warrants, and all related criminal case documents. The Vermilion Parish clerk handles public criminal record inspections, copy requests, and certified document orders for criminal case files going back many years.

Louisiana Revised Statute 44:31 gives the public the right to inspect Vermilion Parish criminal records at no cost during regular business hours. You must show a valid photo ID when you arrive. No reason needs to be given for a Vermilion Parish criminal records inspection. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. For most routine searches, the Vermilion Parish clerk's staff can retrieve criminal case files while you wait at the counter in Abbeville, making in-person searches the fastest option for specific criminal case documents.

Copy fees for Vermilion Parish criminal records are set by state law. Plain copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies of criminal records are $5.00 per document. A name-based criminal history search through the Vermilion Parish clerk runs $5.00 per name. Mail requests for Vermilion Parish criminal records are accepted at 100 N. State St, Abbeville, LA 70510. Include a check or money order payable to the Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court along with the specifics of your criminal records request.

For a full directory of Louisiana parish clerks, the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association at louisianaclerks.org is the most reliable resource for locating Vermilion Parish and other clerks handling criminal records.

Searching Criminal Records in Vermilion Parish

To search Vermilion Parish criminal records, bring the full legal name of the person you are looking for and a date of birth if you have it. The Vermilion Parish clerk can run a name-based criminal index search and pull any matching criminal case files, covering felony charges, misdemeanor records, arrest warrants, and any other criminal proceedings filed in Vermilion Parish. An in-person visit during business hours at 100 N. State St in Abbeville is the fastest method for Vermilion Parish criminal records. For most criminal records searches, you can get results the same day you visit the Vermilion Parish clerk.

Mail requests for Vermilion Parish criminal records are accepted for those who cannot visit in person. Write to 100 N. State St, Abbeville, LA 70510. Include the full name and date of birth of the person you are searching, the type of Vermilion Parish criminal records you need, and payment for applicable fees. Checks and money orders are accepted for Vermilion Parish criminal records requests. Do not send cash by mail. Mail processing typically takes one to two weeks for routine Vermilion Parish criminal records requests, longer during busy periods.

Vermilion Parish does not currently offer its own public online criminal case search. The Louisiana State Police IBC portal at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov is the best remote option for a name-based criminal history search that pulls from all 64 Louisiana parishes including Vermilion Parish criminal records. This is especially useful when you need to check criminal cases across multiple parishes at once without visiting each clerk's office separately.

The LSP background checks page is updated when fee amounts or form versions change, so it is the right place to check before submitting a manual criminal history request by mail to the State Police for records covering Vermilion Parish.

Note: A Vermilion Parish clerk search only covers criminal cases filed in Vermilion Parish. For a broader picture of someone's criminal history across Louisiana, use the LSP BCII or the IBC portal to check criminal records from all parishes in a single search.

Vermilion Parish Court System

Vermilion Parish is part of the 15th Judicial District Court, which covers Lafayette, Vermilion, and Acadia parishes. The 15th JDC is headquartered in Lafayette but holds criminal court in each of the three parish seats. For Vermilion Parish criminal matters, court is held in Abbeville. All felony criminal cases filed in Vermilion Parish go through the 15th JDC, and the Vermilion Parish clerk in Abbeville maintains those Vermilion Parish criminal case files and the full criminal court docket separately from the other two parishes in the district.

Appeals from Vermilion Parish criminal cases decided in the 15th JDC go to the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal in Lake Charles. The Third Circuit covers central and southwestern Louisiana including Vermilion Parish. From the Third Circuit, Vermilion Parish criminal cases may appeal to the Louisiana Supreme Court. Supreme Court opinions and docket information are at lasc.org. Those published decisions can help you understand how appellate courts have ruled on similar Vermilion Parish criminal charges from this region.

Traffic offenses and minor criminal violations in Vermilion Parish may go before justices of the peace in different parts of Vermilion Parish. Those criminal records are held at the justice of the peace level rather than the district court. If a search at the Vermilion Parish district court clerk turns up nothing for a minor offense, call the clerk at (337) 898-1992 to ask about lower-level courts that might hold the Vermilion Parish criminal record you are looking for.

State Criminal Records Resources

The Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information manages statewide criminal history data. BCII aggregates criminal arrest and conviction records from all Louisiana law enforcement agencies, including the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office. A BCII criminal history check is the most thorough way to see a person's full Vermilion Parish and statewide criminal history. It is particularly useful when you suspect the person may have criminal cases in parishes other than Vermilion Parish and you need a complete picture of their Vermilion Parish criminal record and broader Louisiana history.

The Louisiana State Police at lsp.org has everything you need to request a BCII criminal history check: forms, fees, and mailing instructions. Name-based criminal history checks go to the State Police by mail. Fingerprint-based criminal history checks provide greater accuracy and are required for certain positions and licenses. Both types of criminal history checks are described clearly on the LSP site, along with the current fee amounts and the mailing address for submissions.

The DOC offender search tool is free to use and does not require any registration. You can search by name or DOC number to find current inmates and those on supervised release, including individuals convicted of felony crimes in Vermilion Parish who were sent to state correctional facilities.

The Internet Background Check portal at ibc.dps.louisiana.gov allows individuals to run a name-based criminal history search online for Vermilion Parish and all other Louisiana parishes. It is a fast and convenient tool for personal criminal record reviews or research that does not require a certified copy of criminal records or a visit to the Vermilion Parish clerk's office.

Expunging Criminal Records in Vermilion Parish

Louisiana Revised Statute 44:9 is the expungement law. It allows qualifying individuals to file a petition with the district court to have certain Vermilion Parish criminal records removed from public view. In Vermilion Parish, expungement petitions are filed with the 15th Judicial District Court through the Vermilion Parish clerk of court in Abbeville. The key first step is confirming your Vermilion Parish criminal record qualifies for expungement. Crimes of violence and sex offenses are excluded under the statute. Other criminal offense categories may also be excluded depending on the specifics of the charge and the outcome of the criminal case.

The standard total cost for a Louisiana criminal record expungement is approximately $550.00. Of that amount, $300.00 goes to the Vermilion Parish clerk of court and $250.00 goes to the Louisiana State Police. The LSP portion must be paid by USPS money order only. Neither payment is refundable if the Vermilion Parish criminal expungement petition is denied. Before sending any money, confirm eligibility with a Louisiana attorney who handles criminal expungements. The fees are non-refundable no matter what, so getting the eligibility check right the first time matters.

Waiting periods under R.S. 44:9 are mandatory for Vermilion Parish criminal record expungements. Misdemeanor convictions require a two-year wait after the sentence is complete. First-offense felony convictions set aside under Article 893 require a five-year wait. Vermilion Parish arrests without a criminal conviction may qualify for expungement sooner, depending on the disposition of the Vermilion Parish case. The Vermilion Parish clerk's office in Abbeville can supply the petition form but cannot advise on criminal eligibility. That call requires a licensed attorney who can review your full Vermilion Parish criminal record.

Note: After an expungement is granted, the Vermilion Parish clerk removes the criminal record from public indexes. Law enforcement agencies may retain access under the limited exceptions set out in R.S. 44:9.

Record Access and Copy Fees

Criminal court records in Vermilion Parish are open for free inspection under R.S. 44:31. You can come to the Vermilion Parish clerk's office at 100 N. State St in Abbeville during business hours and view any public criminal case file at no cost. Bring a valid photo ID. Tell the Vermilion Parish clerk what name or criminal case number you are looking for, and the staff will pull the criminal file for you to review at the office. No fee is charged for simply inspecting Vermilion Parish criminal records during regular office hours.

If you want paper copies of Vermilion Parish criminal records, fees apply. Plain copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies of criminal records are $5.00 per document. A name search of the Vermilion Parish criminal index costs $5.00 per name. For large copy orders of criminal case files, check whether the Vermilion Parish clerk needs extra processing time. Pay by check or money order at the office. Mail requests follow the same fee schedule and go to 100 N. State St, Abbeville, LA 70510.

For online Vermilion Parish criminal records searches, the LSP Internet Background Check portal is the best digital option. Go to ibc.dps.louisiana.gov to submit a name-based criminal history search that pulls statewide data including Vermilion Parish criminal records from the 15th JDC. This is available at any time without needing to visit the Abbeville office during business hours, making it the most convenient option for criminal history research outside of regular clerk hours.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border or are near Vermilion Parish. Each has its own clerk of court and handles criminal records separately.