Search St. Martin Parish DUI Records
St. Martin Parish DUI records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in St. Martinville, where filings from the 16th Judicial District Court are kept on file. Whether you need to look up a case by name, pull a certified copy of a DUI conviction, or check the status of an open matter, the parish clerk is your primary source for court-filed records. The 16th JDC covers St. Martin, Iberia, and St. Mary parishes, so some administrative resources are shared across all three.
Clerk of Court: St. Martin Parish
The Clerk of Court for St. Martin Parish is Laura B. Blanchard. The office is located at 415 St. Martin Street in St. Martinville, LA 70582. You can reach the clerk's office by phone at (337) 394-2210. This office holds all criminal court records for cases tried in the 16th JDC within St. Martin Parish, including DUI and DWI filings, minute entries, sentencing documents, and probation-related records.
One distinctive feature of the St. Martin Parish clerk's office is that it provides bilingual services in both English and French. This reflects the parish's deep Cajun heritage and serves residents who prefer French-language assistance. Whether you speak one or both languages, staff can help you navigate DUI record searches and copy requests.
Walk-in visits during business hours are the most direct way to search records. You can also call to ask about mail-in requests or check whether any records have been made available through online platforms. The clerk can tell you what fees apply to copies and how long processing takes.
16th Judicial District Court and DUI Cases
The 16th Judicial District Court serves St. Martin, Iberia, and St. Mary parishes. DUI cases filed in St. Martin Parish go through this court. The district court is the main venue for felony DUI charges, while misdemeanor first-offense cases may be handled at the local level depending on how the charge is filed. Either way, the clerk of court in St. Martin Parish keeps the record once it is filed in that jurisdiction.
The image below is from the 16th Judicial District Court's website, which provides information about court operations, judges, and services for St. Martin Parish DUI cases and other criminal matters.
The 16th JDC site can help you understand how cases move through the court and which judges preside over criminal matters in St. Martin Parish.
Note: For cases filed in Iberia or St. Mary parishes under the same 16th JDC, you would need to contact those parishes' clerks separately. Records do not transfer between clerk offices even within a shared judicial district.
DUI Laws That Apply in St. Martin Parish
Louisiana defines impaired driving offenses under La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98, which covers operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI). A first offense is generally a misdemeanor. Second offenses escalate in severity under La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98.1. Third offenses are charged under La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98.2 and carry felony-level penalties in some circumstances.
A fourth or subsequent OWI conviction is a felony under La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98.4. Felony DUI convictions result in state prison time and are part of the public court record in St. Martin Parish. These records remain accessible through the clerk of court and through state background check systems.
Louisiana's implied consent rules at La. Rev. Stat. § 32:661 require drivers to submit to chemical tests when an officer has probable cause. License actions tied to test refusal or DUI conviction fall under La. Rev. Stat. § 32:667 and are handled by the Office of Motor Vehicles rather than the court.
Online Record Access for St. Martin Parish
St. Martin Parish DUI records can be searched online through eClerks LA, a statewide court records platform. You can search by defendant name or case number to find DUI case information, including charges filed, court dates, and dispositions. Some document-level access may require fees or a subscription, depending on what the participating clerk has made available.
Clerk Connect is another online tool that aggregates records from Louisiana clerks. If you need to search across multiple parishes, this platform can save time. Both eClerks LA and Clerk Connect are operated by private vendors under agreements with the Louisiana clerks who participate.
Crash reports for DUI-related accidents can be requested from the Louisiana State Police at crashreports.dps.la.gov for $11.50. These are separate from court records and come from the law enforcement side of the case rather than the court side.
Driving Records and Background Checks
If you want to see how a DUI conviction appears on a driving record, the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles sells three-year driving records through OMV ExpressLane for $20. These records show license status, suspensions, and conviction history as it appears to OMV. They are separate from the clerk's court record.
Statewide criminal background checks are available through the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information for $26 via internet request. This can return DUI conviction history from St. Martin Parish and any other Louisiana parish where the person has a record. It is a useful option if you need a broader picture than a single parish search provides.
Louisiana's public records law, La. R.S. 44:1, ensures that court records including DUI case files are accessible to the public in most circumstances. Records are sealed only by court order, which is uncommon in straightforward DUI cases. You should be able to access the record of any filed and adjudicated DUI case in St. Martin Parish through the clerk's office.