Bossier Parish, Louisiana Court Records
Bossier Parish court records encompass documents and information, such as filings in paper, microfilm, and electronic formats, created during criminal, civil, probate, and family proceedings. Case details (case number, case titles, and party names) and information carried over from other public agencies, such as arrest records, are also part of the parish's court records.
The public can access these records using online, in-person, and telephone options provided by clerks of district and municipal courts.
Are Bossier Parish Court Records Public?
Yes. The Louisiana Public Records Law (La R.S. 44:1 et seq.) makes court documents and other related information open to public access. Requests for access can only be denied when specific state laws, federal statutes, and court rules protect the documents in question.
For example, the Public Records Law outlines various state statutes in La R.S. 44:4.1 that prohibit access to specific government records. Some court records in these exemptions include juvenile court proceedings, adoptions, and expunged records.
Other protected records include sensitive personal information, such as Social Security numbers; files, materials, and information from ongoing police investigations; mental health-related records; details about protected witnesses, certain victims, and confidential police informants; and files and details related to child custody and support proceedings.
What Information is Available in Bossier Parish Court Records?
The following are the contents of case files generated during court proceedings in Bossier Parish, Louisiana:
- Case details (case titles, case numbers, filing dates, attorney details, presiding judges, etc.)
- Filed documents, including complaints, indictments, petitions, legal briefs, defense responses, and other evidence filed with the clerk
- Court orders and judgments, such as arrest and search warrants, summonses, subpoenas, injunctions, decrees, rulings, and sentences
- Case dockets, showing descriptions and dates of case events and lists of filed documents
- Financial information, including filing fees and court-ordered payments, such as fines and bond
Bossier Parish Court Records Search
Access to case records and requests for copies of case documents are available through the Bossier Clerk of Court, the Bossier City Court's Clerk, and Justices of the Peace. The right method depends on the court where the record emanated from and whether the record seeker intends to view case information or order copies.
Bossier Parish Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court maintains files from cases heard in the District Court, the Parish's court of general jurisdiction. These cases include all civil matters, probate proceedings, misdemeanors from outside the Bossier City Court's jurisdiction, felonies, juvenile delinquency, and family law matters.
The clerk's office makes public details about upcoming cases available on its Court Events Inquiry page. The page is searchable by name and displays each case's next date, case number, parties (plus their dates of birth, where applicable), courtroom, judge, and hearing type.
Registered users can also log into the clerk's third-party-hosted platform to view details about civil and criminal cases filed in the district court.
To view case files, one can visit the clerk's office at
204 Burt Boulevard
Third Floor
Benton, Louisiana 71006
Phone: (318) 965-2336
The office also welcomes inquiries about copy request options.
Bossier City Clerk of Court
The Bossier City Court hears civil cases worth up to $15,000, such as contract, personal injury, small claims, garnishment, and tax matters. Its criminal jurisdiction is limited to misdemeanors, including traffic infractions and municipal code violations, within the city's boundaries.
The clerk of the city court allows the public to view details about case files using its online case inquiry portal. There are different systems for civil and criminal cases, and site visitors can search by case (or ticket) number or name.
Details one can view from the online court system include case number, party names and designation, charges (criminal cases), cause (civil matters), and filing dates. Criminal cases feature more details about defendants, such as gender, race, and date of birth. One can also view details about warrants issued during criminal cases.
Record seekers looking to obtain copies of court records can contact the clerk's office using these details:
Bossier City Court & Office of Clerk of Court
620 Benton Road
Bossier City, Louisiana 71111-5337
Phone (Civil Department): (318) 741-8587, (318) 549-4583, (318) 741-8586
Phone (Criminal Department): (318) 741-8594, (318) 741-8595
Phone (Traffic Department): (318) 741-8582, (318) 741-8598
Phone (DWI Department): (318) 741-8594
Phone (Juvenile Department): (318) 741-8815
Justices of the Peace
There are 7 Justices of the Peace in Bossier Parish, and they have jurisdiction over certain civil cases valued at $5,000 or less. Parish ordinance violations and evictions also fall under their jurisdiction.
People can contact the relevant Justice of the Peace to inquire about access to records.
Fees for Court Records in Bossier Parish
While viewing case information online is free, record seekers must pay the following fees to obtain copies:
- Plain copies: $1 per page
- Certified copies: $5 each
- Conformed Copies with judge's stamp: $3 each
Interested parties can contact the relevant clerk of court's office for more details about copy-related and search fees.
Bossier Parish Courthouse Locations
The following are contact details for District, Municipal, and Justice of the Peace Courts in Bossier Parish:
26th Judicial District Court (Bossier Parish Division)
204 Burt Boulevard
Benton, Louisiana 71006
Phone: (318) 965-2217
Fax: (318) 965-3765
Bossier City Court (municipal court)
620 Benton Road
Bossier City, Louisiana 71111-5337
Phone: (318) 741-8500
Haughton Mayor's Court
118 West McKinley Avenue
Haughton, Louisiana 71037
Phone: (318) 949-9401
Plain Dealing Municipal Court
205 West Palmetto Avenue
Plain Dealing, Louisiana 71064
Phone: (318) 326-4234
Justice of Peace Courts
District 1
228 Welham Trace
Bossier City, Louisiana 71112
Phone: (318) 510-6106
District 3
301 Lake Road
Plain Dealing, Louisiana 71064
Phone: (318) 540-6883
AND
1010 East Palmetto Avenue
Plain Dealing, Louisiana 71064
Phone: (318) 453-7357
District 4
2802 Highway 2
Plain Dealing, Louisiana 71064
Phone: (318) 458-5363
District 5
101 Mildred Street
Benton, Louisiana 71006
Phone: (318) 965-0011
District 6
P O Box 308
Haughton, Louisiana 71037
Phone: (318) 949-0530
AND
P.O. Box 146
Princeton, Louisiana 71067
Phone: (318) 615-4169
Criminal Records Access in Bossier Parish
District and municipal courts, law enforcement agencies, and detention facilities create the information and documents that feature in Bossier Parish criminal records. These records include arrest information, paperwork, details pertaining to criminal prosecutions, and detention records.
The Bossier City Police Department and Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office, the prominent law enforcement agencies in the Parish, are the primary keepers of arrest records. One can contact them to find specific details about arrests, from confirming alleged offenses to ordering arrest reports.
The Bossier City Police Department's Police To Citizen Portal allows the public to review arrest information, including the arrestee's name and photograph, charges, arrest location, case number, and arresting officer.
The Sheriff's Office can also provide access to jail records since its Corrections Division manages the parish jail, the facility where law enforcement agencies send arrested individuals.
To find details about a person's prosecution, such as amended charges after their arrest and whether or not they were found guilty, people can use resources provided by the local District Court and Bossier City Court. Individuals can also refer to arrest records within case files, including warrants and bond details, to determine release conditions for recent arrestees.
Bossier Parish Probate Records
Probate case records, created during the administration of the estates of deceased persons, are kept by the Bossier Parish Clerk of Court. The probate process is called a succession in Louisiana, and produces documents related to the appointment of estate executors, will validations, beneficiaries, tax and debt settlement, and inheritance claims.
The clerk's online case search system provides details on these cases, and record seekers can contact the office for information on obtaining case records.
Bossier Parish Family Court Records
Family court records are case files associated with divorce, spousal support, child custody and visitation, parental rights, emancipation of minors, and other domestic matters.
These cases are handled by the District Court, and the public can access associated records through the office of the Clerk of Court. It should be noted that the clerk may deny access to records containing child-related matters. If documents include public information, then the protected areas may be redacted.
Federal Court Records in Bossier Parish
Federal records associated with Bossier Parish emanate from cases heard in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. These cases include civil disputes involving out-of-state parties (including foreign entities), criminal matters initiated by the Justice Department following arrests by federal agencies, and cases in which the federal government is a respondent or petitioner.
Individuals can contact the local clerk's office to view records in person or inquire about requesting certified or plain copies. Record seekers looking to view case information online can sign up to use PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), the federal government's case search tool.
