Search Morehouse Parish DUI Records
DUI records in Morehouse Parish are filed at the 4th Judicial District Court in Bastrop and are maintained by the Clerk of Court. Here's how to find and request those records.
Morehouse Parish Quick Facts
Morehouse Parish DUI Records Overview
Morehouse Parish sits in the northeastern corner of Louisiana. Bastrop is the parish seat and the center of all court activity. When a DUI arrest is made anywhere in the parish, the case gets filed in the 4th Judicial District Court, which handles all criminal matters for Morehouse Parish.
DUI in Louisiana is defined under Louisiana Revised Statute § 14:98. The law applies to anyone who drives while impaired by alcohol, controlled substances, or any other substance that affects their ability to operate a vehicle safely. Blood alcohol content of 0.08% or higher triggers the legal limit for most drivers.
Each DUI case produces a set of records. The arrest report comes from law enforcement. The court filing comes from the district attorney's office. Hearings, pleas, and verdicts are all documented and kept by the Clerk of Court. These records are public under Louisiana law and can be requested by anyone.
Repeat DUI offenders face more serious charges. A second offense is covered by § 14:98.1, a third by § 14:98.2, and a fourth or later offense by § 14:98.3. Felony DUI cases stay on the criminal record permanently unless expunged by a court.
Clerk of Court: Where DUI Records Are Kept
The Clerk of Court for Morehouse Parish is Hon. Tifani Stuckey Thomas. The clerk's office is the official record-keeper for all cases heard in the 4th JDC, including every DUI filed in the parish. As noted in the official directory, the courthouse is located at "Morehouse Parish Courthouse, 100 East Madison, Bastrop, La. 71220; Clerk of Court, P.O. Box 1543, Bastrop, La. 71221-1543, (318) 281-3343."
Clerk of Court Contact
Address: 100 E. Madison Street, Bastrop, LA 71220
Mailing: PO Box 1543, Bastrop, LA 71221-1543
Phone: (318) 281-3343
To get a DUI record in person, go to the clerk's office during business hours. You can search by name or case number. The clerk's staff can direct you to the right files, but they don't do the research for you. You'll need to review the documents yourself or ask for copies, which have a per-page fee.
Mail requests are also accepted. Put the full name of the person in question, the approximate date of the case, and a note about what type of record you need. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow extra time for mail requests; responses are not immediate.
Searching for Morehouse Parish DUI Records Online
Morehouse Parish cases can be searched through the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association directory and through statewide online platforms. The association's directory, available at laclerksofcourt.org, lists all clerks by parish and helps you confirm contact information and hours before visiting or calling.
The screenshot below shows the Louisiana Clerks of Court directory used to locate Morehouse Parish clerk information for DUI record research.
For case-level searching, eClerks LA is the main statewide public tool. This free portal allows name-based searches across many Louisiana parishes. You can find case numbers, filing dates, and basic case information without paying a fee. Start at eclerksla.com.
eClerks LA is a good first step. It won't give you full case documents, but it can confirm whether a DUI case was filed and give you the case number needed to request more from the clerk's office.
4th Judicial District Court in Morehouse Parish
The 4th Judicial District Court covers Morehouse and Ouachita parishes. For Morehouse Parish, court proceedings take place at the Morehouse Parish Courthouse, 100 East Madison Street, Bastrop. This is where DUI arraignments, pretrial hearings, and trials are held.
The district attorney's office for the 4th JDC handles all criminal prosecutions in the district, including DUI cases. If a case went to trial or if a plea was entered, the resulting record is filed with the Clerk of Court at the same courthouse.
For information about scheduled hearings or to confirm that a case is active, contact the clerk's office by phone at (318) 281-3343. Court dockets for smaller parishes are not always published online, so calling is usually the fastest way to get current information.
Sheriff and Law Enforcement Records
The Morehouse Parish Sheriff's Office is the lead law enforcement agency for the parish. Sheriff deputies handle DUI traffic stops and arrests outside of city limits. The Bastrop Police Department handles stops within the city. Both agencies file arrest reports when a DUI occurs.
Arrest records in Louisiana are public under La. R.S. 44:1. To get an arrest report from the Morehouse Parish Sheriff's Office, contact the department directly. You'll need the name and approximate date of the incident. Some offices charge a small fee for copies.
Louisiana's implied consent statute at § 32:661 requires drivers to comply with chemical testing when asked by law enforcement after a DUI stop. Refusal leads to an automatic license suspension under § 32:667. That suspension is recorded at the Office of Motor Vehicles, separate from the court case.
Driving and Crash Records
Two state-level tools can help you research DUI-related records beyond the courthouse. The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles runs an online service at expresslane.org where you can pull a driving history that shows license suspensions and convictions. A DUI conviction in Louisiana typically triggers a suspension that appears on this record.
The Louisiana State Police crash reports portal at crashreports.dps.la.gov lets you search for accident reports. If the DUI involved a crash, the crash report will be a separate document from the court record and may contain different details. Both are public records but come from different agencies.
Fees for Morehouse Parish Court Records
The Clerk of Court charges fees for copies and record searches. Standard copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies carry an additional fee per document. Name searches made in writing typically incur a search fee. Contact the clerk's office directly at (318) 281-3343 to confirm current rates before sending payment.
If you need certified records for a legal matter, court proceeding, or official purpose, be sure to request certified copies specifically. Standard photocopies are fine for personal reference but may not be accepted by courts or agencies that require official documentation.
Understanding the DUI Record
A DUI record in Morehouse Parish may include several documents. The initial arrest report comes from the arresting officer. The bill of information or indictment comes from the district attorney. Minutes of court proceedings are kept by the clerk. A judgment of conviction or acquittal is the final document in a completed case.
These records don't automatically disappear. In Louisiana, expungement is available under certain conditions, but it must be applied for and granted by the court. Until that happens, the record stays open. Anyone who searches by name through the clerk's office or an online portal can find it.
If you're searching for someone else's record, you don't need to show a reason or justification in most cases. Louisiana treats DUI court records as public records and does not require requesters to explain why they want them.
Cities in Morehouse Parish
Bastrop is the largest city in Morehouse Parish and the center of court activity. No cities in Morehouse Parish meet the population threshold for a dedicated city records page. DUI cases from Bastrop and all other communities in the parish are handled through the 4th JDC in Bastrop.
Nearby Parishes
If you need to check records in a neighboring parish, these pages may help: