Pointe Coupee Parish DUI Records
DUI records in Pointe Coupee Parish are filed with the 18th Judicial District Court in New Roads and kept by the Clerk of Court at 201 East Main Street. This guide explains how to find and request those records.
Pointe Coupee Parish Quick Facts
DUI Records in Pointe Coupee Parish
Pointe Coupee Parish sits along the west bank of the Mississippi River in central Louisiana, just northwest of Baton Rouge. New Roads is the parish seat and the center of court activity. All DUI cases from within the parish go through the 18th Judicial District Court, which is housed at the courthouse in New Roads.
Louisiana's DUI law is codified at Revised Statute § 14:98. It makes it unlawful to drive while impaired by alcohol, a controlled substance, or any drug that reduces a person's ability to safely operate a vehicle. The blood alcohol threshold is 0.08% for standard drivers. Commercial drivers face a 0.04% limit. Anyone under 21 can be charged at 0.02%.
When someone is arrested for DUI in Pointe Coupee Parish, that arrest creates records. The sheriff's office or police department files an arrest report. The district attorney decides whether to charge and files a bill of information with the court. Every court event that follows, from arraignment to plea or verdict, is recorded by the Clerk of Court. All of these documents are public records.
Repeat DUI charges carry more weight. A second offense falls under § 14:98.1. A third becomes a felony under § 14:98.2. A fourth or more is prosecuted under § 14:98.3 with mandatory prison time. Each of these levels generates more extensive court documents.
Pointe Coupee Parish Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court for Pointe Coupee Parish is Lanell Swindler Landry. This office is the official keeper of all court records in the parish, including every DUI filing, hearing record, and judgment. The office operates on a self-supported basis from fees collected for court services.
Clerk of Court Contact
Address: 201 East Main Street, New Roads, LA 70760
Mailing: PO Box 38, New Roads, LA 70760
Phone: (225) 638-9596
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
One important note from the clerk's own office: "The Clerk's Office DOES NOT DO RESEARCH. Most staff will assist people in finding the materials, but it is up to the individual to do the research." This means when you visit, staff will show you where to look, but you're expected to review the records yourself. They won't search on your behalf without a formal written request and applicable fee.
For in-person visits, show up during business hours with the name of the person whose records you're searching and an approximate year or case number if available. The office has records going back a long time. As the clerk's office notes, "Pointe Coupee Parish Clerk of Court has Marriage Records from 1735, Land Records from 1780, Probate Records from 1780 and Court Records from 1780." Court records from the late 1700s exist here, though DUI records obviously only start with the modern era of automobile law.
Online Records and the Parish Portal
Pointe Coupee Parish has a public portal at pcparish.org where you can find links to parish offices and services. This site provides an entry point into local parish resources and may link to available online records tools. Start here to get your bearings on what's available online for Pointe Coupee.
For broader case index searching, eClerks LA covers many Louisiana parishes including Pointe Coupee. This free public tool lets you search by name and get back case numbers and filing dates. It's a useful first step before you commit to a trip to New Roads or a formal records request. Access it at eclerksla.com.
eClerks gives index data, not full documents. If you find a case in the index, you can use the case number to get more information from the clerk's office. Mail or in-person requests are required for complete records or certified copies.
18th Judicial District Court
The 18th Judicial District Court covers Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge, and Iberville parishes. For Pointe Coupee Parish, proceedings take place at the courthouse at 201 East Main Street in New Roads. This is where all felony DUI cases and any criminal matters that rise above the city or justice of the peace level are heard.
Pointe Coupee Parish also has 12 Justice of the Peace districts. Some lower-level matters may be handled at that level. If you're researching a DUI case and it's not in the district court records, it's worth checking whether it was handled at the justice of the peace level.
For active case status or hearing schedules, call the clerk's office at (225) 638-9596. Court dockets for this parish are not consistently published online, so a phone call is the most reliable way to get current information.
Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff
The Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff is Rene Thibodeaux. The sheriff's office can be reached by mail at PO Box 248, New Roads, or by phone at (225) 638-5400. The sheriff's office handles DUI arrests throughout the unincorporated parts of the parish.
Arrest reports from the sheriff's office are public records under La. R.S. 44:1. To get an arrest report, call the sheriff's office and request it. Have the name and date of the arrest ready. There may be a copying fee.
The Pointe Coupee Parish Detention Center is located at 10933 Cajun II Road in New Roads. Booking records may be available through the sheriff's office for anyone held at the facility after a DUI arrest.
Louisiana's implied consent law at § 32:661 requires all drivers to submit to chemical testing when asked after a lawful DUI stop. Refusing the test triggers a license suspension under § 32:667. The OMV records these suspensions separately from court records.
How to Request Records by Mail
If you can't visit the courthouse in person, you can submit a written request to the Clerk of Court at PO Box 38, New Roads, LA 70760. Your request should include the full name of the subject, the approximate date or year of the case, the type of record you need (criminal case file, judgment, hearing minutes), and a check or money order for the applicable fees.
Standard copies cost $1 per page. Certified copies cost more. A name search done in writing carries a per-name fee. Call ahead at (225) 638-9596 to confirm the current fees before sending payment. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope so the clerk can return your documents by mail.
Processing time for mail requests varies. Smaller parishes tend to have fewer staff handling records requests, so allow at least one to two weeks for a response, especially if your request requires pulling older files.
Driving Records and Crash Reports
A complete picture of a DUI incident in Pointe Coupee Parish may require records from more than one source. The court file holds criminal case records. The sheriff's office holds the arrest report. The OMV holds license suspension records.
For driving history checks, use the Express Lane site at expresslane.org. This OMV-linked portal lets you pull a driving record that shows suspensions and DUI-related entries on the official history.
If the DUI involved a crash, the accident report can be requested through the Louisiana State Police crash reports portal at crashreports.dps.la.gov. Crash reports are public and can be requested by name, date, or location.
Louisiana DUI Laws That Apply
The main DUI statute at § 14:98 covers all vehicle operators in Louisiana. First-time offenders face fines, mandatory treatment programs, and possible jail time up to six months. A second offense under § 14:98.1 brings higher fines and required use of an ignition interlock device.
Third offenses are felonies under § 14:98.2, with mandatory prison time and possible forfeiture of the vehicle used. Fourth and subsequent offenses under § 14:98.3 carry significant minimum prison sentences. Each of these charges produces a court record that stays on file permanently unless expunged.
Cities in Pointe Coupee Parish
New Roads is the largest city in Pointe Coupee Parish and the location of the 18th JDC courthouse. No cities in Pointe Coupee Parish reach the population threshold for a dedicated city records page on this site. All DUI cases from the parish are handled through the courthouse in New Roads.
Nearby Parishes
If the records you need may be in a nearby parish, these pages can help: