Access West Carroll Parish DUI Records
West Carroll Parish DUI records are kept by the 5th Judicial District Court Clerk in Oak Grove and include criminal case filings, court dockets, and conviction records for DWI and DUI charges brought in the parish. West Carroll shares the 5th JDC with Franklin and Richland parishes, but each parish maintains its own court files at its local clerk's office. This page covers where to find West Carroll DUI records and how to access related documents like crash reports and driving history from state agencies.
West Carroll Parish Clerk of Court
The West Carroll Parish Clerk of Court is located at Courthouse Square in Oak Grove, LA 71263. The office phone number is (318) 428-2369. The clerk handles all civil and criminal filings for the 5th JDC in West Carroll Parish. DUI and DWI case files are part of the criminal division and are accessible to the public subject to the terms of Louisiana's public records law.
West Carroll is one of three parishes in the 5th Judicial District. The other two are Franklin and Richland. Each parish has its own clerk's office, and DUI cases filed in West Carroll are kept in Oak Grove, not in the other parishes. If you are searching for a case and are not sure which parish it was filed in, you may need to check with all three clerks. The cases do not cross over between the parish offices even though they share the same judicial district.
The eClerks LA online portal includes West Carroll Parish court records. The image below shows the portal used to search DUI case filings by name or case number in West Carroll Parish.
The eClerks LA portal provides online access to West Carroll Parish DUI records and other criminal filings maintained by the 5th JDC clerk in Oak Grove.
Use the portal to look up DUI cases by party name or docket number and view case status and hearing history for West Carroll Parish matters.
DUI Laws That Apply in West Carroll Parish
All DUI charges in West Carroll Parish are prosecuted under Louisiana state law. The primary statute is La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98, which defines operating a vehicle while intoxicated. A first-offense DUI is a misdemeanor and can result in fines, jail time, and a mandatory driver's license suspension. Even a first offense stays on a person's record and appears in public criminal court filings.
Repeat offenses carry heavier penalties. A second DUI is governed by La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98.1 and includes mandatory minimum jail time. A third offense is a felony under La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98.2. Fourth and aggravated DUI charges are covered by La. Rev. Stat. § 14:98.4. Felony DUI cases generate larger case files and more court proceedings, which makes the clerk's records more detailed for those matters.
Implied consent rules apply to every driver in West Carroll Parish. La. Rev. Stat. § 32:661 treats all drivers as having consented to chemical testing when stopped on suspicion of DUI. If a driver refuses the test, a license suspension follows under La. Rev. Stat. § 32:667. This suspension is separate from any court case and is processed through the Office of Motor Vehicles.
How to Search West Carroll DUI Court Records
The eClerks LA portal is the fastest way to search West Carroll Parish DUI records without going to the courthouse. You can search by name or case number and view case filings, docket entries, and current case status for matters handled by the 5th JDC clerk in Oak Grove. This works for recent cases that have been entered into the digital system.
The Clerk Connect platform is another option for searching Louisiana court records across multiple parishes. It covers many clerk offices in the state and can help if you need to search West Carroll and neighboring parishes at the same time.
For certified copies or records not available online, contact the West Carroll clerk at (318) 428-2369 or visit the courthouse at Courthouse Square in Oak Grove. Include the full name of the defendant, the approximate year the case was filed, and the nature of the charge when making a records request. Written mail-in requests are typically accepted.
Note: West Carroll Parish is a small parish with limited staff. Call ahead before visiting to confirm hours and document availability, especially for older cases.
Crash Reports and Driving Records
If a DUI in West Carroll Parish involved a crash, the official crash report is held by Louisiana State Police. You can order it through the LSP crash report portal for $11.50. The report contains the officer's notes, vehicle details, and any documentation of observed impairment. It is a separate document from the criminal court file and must be requested independently.
Driving records showing license status, suspensions, and DUI-related restrictions are maintained by the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. A three-year driving record can be ordered online through the OMV ExpressLane portal for $20. This record covers the driver's history statewide, not just West Carroll Parish. It is a different document from the court case file and the crash report.
Public Records in West Carroll Parish
Louisiana's Public Records Law, La. R.S. 44:1, makes most criminal court records open to the public. West Carroll Parish DUI case filings are generally accessible without a court order unless they have been expunged or sealed. The clerk's office in Oak Grove can provide copies of court documents for a fee, and any person can request access to a non-sealed criminal case file.
For a broader criminal history search, the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information provides statewide BCII background checks for $26 online. This report covers all Louisiana parishes and will include any DUI convictions from West Carroll as well as any other courts in the state. It differs from a parish-level clerk search, which only covers cases filed in that single courthouse.