Search Lafayette Parish DUI Records
Lafayette Parish DUI records are filed through the 15th Judicial District Court and are available through the Clerk of Court, the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office, and several online tools including the JADES inmate and warrant system.
Lafayette Parish Quick Facts
Lafayette Parish DUI Laws
Louisiana's main DUI statute is La. R.S. 14:98. It sets the legal blood alcohol limit at 0.08% for regular drivers. A first DUI offense in Lafayette Parish is a misdemeanor. Conviction can result in fines, mandatory jail time in some cases, a suspended license, and required alcohol education or treatment. The statute also covers drug-impaired driving. Impairment from any substance, not just alcohol, is enough for a charge.
Second offenses fall under La. R.S. 14:98.1, which mandates an ignition interlock device. Third offenses under La. R.S. 14:98.2 and fourth offenses under La. R.S. 14:98.3 are felonies with significant prison exposure. All criminal records in Lafayette Parish are generally considered privileged and do not become public record until adjudicated or settled.
Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court
Hon. Louis J. Perret serves as Clerk of Court for Lafayette Parish. The main office is at 800 S. Buchanan St., Lafayette, LA 70501. Mailing address is PO Box 2009, Lafayette, LA 70502. Phone is (337) 291-6400. Email is info@lpclerk.com. The clerk's website is www.lpclerk.com.
The clerk keeps all official court records for the 15th JDC, including every DUI case filed in Lafayette Parish. These records become public once a case is resolved. You can visit the office in person to search records, request copies, or verify a case status. Written requests by mail are also accepted. Include the full name of the subject, approximate date, and your contact information in any written request. The clerk's office can advise you on copy fees and the types of records that are available.
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court at 800 S. Buchanan St. maintains all 15th JDC criminal records, including DUI case filings, judgments, and sentencing records.
15th Judicial District Court
The 15th Judicial District Court serves Lafayette, Vermilion, and Acadia parishes. Court Administrator Caroline Roy oversees operations. The mailing address is PO Box 3996, Lafayette, LA 70502. Phone is (337) 269-5761. The court's website is www.15thjdc.org.
DUI cases in Lafayette Parish move through the 15th JDC. Misdemeanor first-offense cases may be resolved relatively quickly. Felony DUI cases take longer and involve more steps, including arraignment, pre-trial motions, and either a plea or trial. The court's public docket is accessible through the clerk's office and through the eClerks Louisiana system online. If you need to track a case, start with the case number if you have it, or search by the defendant's name.
The 15th Judicial District Court handles all DUI criminal cases for Lafayette Parish and provides the official forum for misdemeanor and felony DUI prosecutions.
Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office and JADES
Sheriff Mark T. Garber leads the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office (LPSO). The main address is 316 West Main Street, Lafayette. Phone is (337) 232-9211. Email for general inquiries is lpsoinfo@lafayettesheriff.com. The sheriff's website is www.lafayettesheriff.com. For records requests specifically, contact the Records Department at 303 West Vermillion Street, phone (337) 236-5845, email recordsrequest@lafayettesheriff.com.
The LPSO operates the JADES system, an online inmate and warrant database. The JADES is available 24/7, providing public-record information on persons currently incarcerated at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center and a complete list of active warrants within the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office records management system. If someone was arrested for DUI in Lafayette Parish, their booking will appear in JADES once processed. You can check inmate status, charges, and bond at any time through the sheriff's website.
Accident reports tied to DUI arrests are available online through the LPSO Accident Report Online Service. Allow 7 to 10 days after the incident before trying to access a crash report. This wait gives time for the report to be completed and entered into the system.
The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office provides the JADES system for 24/7 public access to inmate records, active warrants, and DUI-related arrest information.
eClerks Louisiana and Online Records
The eClerks Louisiana portal at eclerksla.com lets you search court records from many Louisiana parishes at no charge. You can look up DUI cases by name or case number and see charge details, court dates, and case status. This tool is a good first step when you want court-side information without calling the clerk's office. Keep in mind that records from pending or sealed cases may not appear.
For driving history and license suspensions, the Office of Motor Vehicles is the right source. Under La. R.S. 32:661, drivers lawfully arrested for DUI are deemed to have consented to testing. Refusing the test triggers a suspension under La. R.S. 32:667 handled separately from the criminal case. The OMV and the court are two different systems, and both may hold relevant records in a Lafayette Parish DUI matter.
Cities in Lafayette Parish
Lafayette is the parish seat and the largest city in the parish. It has a dedicated page on this site:
Nearby Parishes
Lafayette Parish is in the heart of south-central Louisiana. Surrounding parishes each have their own courts and clerk offices for DUI records.