Beauregard Parish DUI Records Lookup

Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court: DUI Records Office

The Beauregard Parish Clerk of Court, Hon. Brian S. Lestage, maintains all criminal court records for OWI and DUI cases in the parish. The office is at 200 W. 2nd St., DeRidder, LA 70634, with a mailing address of PO Box 100. The main phone number is (337) 463-8595. This office is the official custodian of every document generated by an OWI prosecution in Beauregard Parish, from initial charge through sentencing and beyond.

Each OWI case filed in Beauregard Parish generates a permanent record with the clerk. That record includes the charging document, arraignment minutes, any pretrial motions, the plea or trial verdict, and sentencing details. These documents are public under La. R.S. 44:1, Louisiana's Public Records Law, unless a judge has ordered them sealed or unless the defendant has obtained an expungement.

In-person requests can be made at the DeRidder courthouse during regular business hours. If you are requesting by mail, send your written request to PO Box 100, DeRidder, LA 70634. Include the subject's full name, approximate case date, and any case number you have. Copy fees are set by state law and apply to all requests, whether certified or uncertified. The clerk's office can give you current fee information when you call.

36th JDC: OWI Court in Beauregard Parish

Beauregard Parish is served by the 36th Judicial District Court, which covers only this parish. All felony and misdemeanor OWI cases go through this court. First-offense OWI charges are handled under La. R.S. 14:98.1, which sets out penalties including fines, possible jail time, and license suspension. Second offenses fall under La. R.S. 14:98.2, and third offenses become felonies under La. R.S. 14:98.3.

Because the 36th JDC is a single-parish district, the DeRidder courthouse is where all Beauregard Parish OWI cases are heard and all related records are filed. This concentration makes the Clerk of Court the clear first contact for any OWI record search in the parish. There is no need to check multiple courthouse locations within the district.

Appeals from 36th JDC decisions go to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal. If a Beauregard Parish OWI conviction was appealed, the appellate record is a separate document held by the 3rd Circuit in Lake Charles, not by the parish clerk in DeRidder.

Note: A defendant who completes a first-offender diversion program may be eligible to have the charge dismissed and the arrest record cleared. This outcome would appear in the court record as a dismissal, not as a conviction.

Beauregard Parish OWI Arrests: Law Enforcement Records

The Beauregard Parish Sheriff's Office handles OWI enforcement in the unincorporated areas of the parish. Municipal police departments, including DeRidder Police, handle enforcement within city limits. Both agencies make arrests under La. R.S. 14:98, the core OWI statute, and both are required to follow Louisiana's implied consent procedures.

Implied consent at La. R.S. 32:661 requires drivers to submit to chemical testing when lawfully arrested for OWI. Refusal leads to an administrative license suspension under La. R.S. 32:667. This suspension is handled by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, not the court, and runs independently of any criminal penalty.

Arrest records, including booking sheets and incident reports, are public under La. R.S. 44:1. To get an arrest record, contact the law enforcement agency that made the arrest. The sheriff's office holds records for arrests in unincorporated areas. For arrests within DeRidder or another municipality, contact that municipality's police department. These records are distinct from court records and may contain different details.

Online Tools for Beauregard Parish DUI Record Searches

Beauregard Parish does not have a standalone public web portal for searching criminal records. Two statewide tools are your best online options. The Louisiana Secretary of State's Clerk Lookup tool at voterportal.sos.la.gov/clerk connects to clerk offices across Louisiana and can return basic case data for Beauregard Parish OWI filings.

The Louisiana Clerk Lookup tool is a statewide gateway to parish clerk records, useful for finding Beauregard Parish OWI case data before visiting the courthouse in DeRidder.

This tool is free and does not require account registration, making it a practical first step for anyone who needs to research Beauregard Parish court records remotely.

The eClerks LA platform provides statewide access to Louisiana court records including Beauregard Parish OWI criminal filings.

eClerks LA at eclerksla.com is another free resource that allows name-based searches across multiple Louisiana parishes. It is especially useful if you are not certain whether a case was filed in Beauregard or a neighboring parish.

Louisiana OWI Statutes and How They Apply to Beauregard Cases

The core OWI offense in Louisiana is defined at La. R.S. 14:98. The statute covers impaired driving from alcohol, controlled dangerous substances, or any combination, as well as per se violations when blood alcohol content reaches 0.08% or higher. Drivers of commercial vehicles face a lower threshold, and drivers under 21 are subject to a zero-tolerance standard under state law.

Louisiana's lookback period for OWI offenses allows prior convictions to count toward recidivism even if they occurred years earlier. This means a Beauregard Parish resident charged with a second OWI may face enhanced penalties tied to a prior conviction from another parish or another state. The court record will reflect any prior convictions used to enhance the charge level at sentencing.

Public access to OWI records is governed by La. R.S. 44:1. Court records in Beauregard Parish are open to the public unless sealed. Expungement is available for some OWI offenses under Louisiana law, but qualifying depends on the offense level, the number of prior convictions, and the time elapsed since the conviction. The Clerk of Court can tell you whether a specific case file is publicly accessible or has been restricted by court order.

Driver License and OMV Records for Beauregard Parish OWI Cases

An OWI conviction in Beauregard Parish affects a driver's license through the criminal court and through the Louisiana OMV. The court may impose a suspension as part of sentencing. The OMV imposes its own administrative suspension if the driver refused or failed a chemical test at arrest. Both actions are handled separately.

Drivers can check their own license status at the OMV ExpressLane portal at expresslane.org. Reinstatement after an OWI suspension often requires completing an alcohol education program, paying a reinstatement fee, and in some cases installing an ignition interlock device. The OMV office in DeRidder can assist with local reinstatement questions. Use the OMV office locator at offices.omv.la.gov to confirm hours and location before visiting.

Nearby Parishes

OWI records belong to the parish where the arrest occurred. Use these links to search records in neighboring parishes.