Lafayette DUI Records
Lafayette DUI records are filed through Lafayette City Court for misdemeanor charges and the 15th Judicial District Court for felony cases. The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court maintains records for district court filings and uses the JADES system to manage criminal case data. If you need to find a DUI record in Lafayette, you can search through the clerk's office, use the eClerks LA statewide portal, or request police records from the Lafayette Police Department. This guide covers where each type of record is kept and how to get it.
Lafayette DUI Laws and Penalties
DUI cases in Lafayette follow Louisiana statutes. The base law is La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98. A BAC of 0.08% or higher triggers a DUI charge for standard drivers. For those under 21, the threshold is lower. A first offense in Lafayette is a misdemeanor. It typically results in a fine, a short jail term or community service, and a license suspension through OMV.
A second DUI within ten years brings higher penalties under La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98.1. Mandatory jail days and ignition interlock requirements apply. A third offense is a felony under La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98.2. It moves to the 15th JDC for prosecution. A fourth offense or more falls under La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98.4, which carries severe prison terms.
Implied consent rules in Louisiana apply in Lafayette. Under La. Rev. Stat. § 32:661, all drivers are deemed to consent to testing. Refusal causes a suspension under La. Rev. Stat. § 32:667. The criminal case at court and the OMV suspension process are two separate tracks running at the same time.
Lafayette Parish Clerk and JADES System
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court manages criminal case records through the JADES (Judicial Automated Document Exchange System) platform. JADES is used across multiple Louisiana parishes to store and manage court filings. If your Lafayette DUI case was filed at the 15th JDC level, the clerk's office has the record in this system.
You can visit the clerk's office in person to search by name or case number. The clerk can pull up case status, charge details, disposition, and sentencing data. Copies of records cost a fee set by the clerk. Certified copies are more expensive than plain ones. Call ahead to check current fees and office hours before you make the trip.
The eClerks LA portal indexes Lafayette Parish court data. You can search for free to find case summaries. The statewide system pulls data from parish clerk offices, so results depend on how current the uploads are. For the most accurate info, always confirm with the clerk's office directly.
The screenshot below shows the eClerks LA portal, which indexes Lafayette and other Louisiana parish court records.
eClerks LA is a free starting point for searching Lafayette DUI case data before contacting the clerk's office for full records.
Note: eClerks LA may not have every case. Some older records or recent filings may not appear. Check the clerk's office for complete data.Lafayette Police and City Records
The Lafayette Police Department handles DUI arrests within the city. Arrest reports and incident records can be requested from LPD. The city of Lafayette has an online portal at lafayettela.gov where you can find department contacts and public records request procedures.
The screenshot below shows the City of Lafayette website where public records and department contacts are listed.
Use the city website to find the right office for your request. LPD handles arrests. The clerk of court handles court filings. Both hold different parts of a DUI record.
Lafayette City Court handles misdemeanor DUI cases filed within the city. The clerk at City Court can search by name or case number. If you are looking for a first-offense DUI that did not escalate to a felony, City Court is likely where the record is. The City Court clerk can tell you what is available and what each copy costs.
Crash Reports and Driving History in Lafayette
If a Lafayette DUI involved a vehicle crash, a state police crash report was filed. You can order it through crashreports.dps.la.gov for $11.50. Crash reports name the drivers, describe the scene, and often reference the DUI charge when one was made. They are useful alongside the court record when you need a full picture of what happened.
Driving records for Lafayette area drivers can be ordered through OMV ExpressLane for $20 per three-year record. This shows license suspensions and revocations tied to DUI convictions and implied consent refusals. A state background check from BCII costs $26 online and covers the criminal history side, including DUI convictions filed in Lafayette courts.
Records governed by La. R.S. 44:1 are public unless sealed or expunged by court order. Most adult DUI convictions in Lafayette are open to the public. If a case was diverted under a first-offender program and later dismissed, the access rules may differ. Check with the clerk or an attorney if you are unsure about a specific case's status.