>St. Mary Parish Arrest Records Online

St. Mary Parish, Louisiana Arrest Records

Are Arrest Records Public in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana?

Arrest records in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana are public documents accessible to all citizens pursuant to the Louisiana Public Records Act (La. R.S. 44:1 et seq.). This legislation establishes that governmental records, including those pertaining to arrests, shall be available for public inspection unless specifically exempted by state or federal law. The Louisiana Constitution, Article XII, Section 3, further reinforces this right by stating that "no person shall be denied the right to observe the deliberations of public bodies and examine public documents, except in cases established by law."

The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office maintains these records as part of their statutory duty to document law enforcement activities within the jurisdiction. Members of the public seeking arrest information may obtain these records regardless of their purpose or relationship to the arrested individual, though certain identifying information may be redacted in accordance with privacy protections established under La. R.S. 44:11.

Can Arrest Records be Found Online in St. Mary Parish?

Digital access to St. Mary Parish arrest records is available through several authorized platforms. The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office maintains an online inmate lookup system that provides current information on individuals currently detained in parish facilities. This system is updated regularly in compliance with La. R.S. 15:1228, which mandates timely reporting of detention information.

The St. Mary Parish Government website serves as a portal to various parish services, including limited access to public safety records. Additionally, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections offers a statewide offender locator system that includes individuals processed through the St. Mary Parish criminal justice system who have been transferred to state custody.

Users should note that online records may not contain complete arrest histories, as certain records may be:

Subject to sealing or expungement orders
Restricted due to ongoing investigations
Limited in scope to recent arrests only
Not yet digitized if they predate electronic record-keeping systems

How to Look Up St. Mary Parish Arrest Records in 2025

Multiple methods exist for obtaining St. Mary Parish arrest records, each with specific procedures established under Louisiana law:

In-person requests may be submitted at the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office Records Division. Requestors must complete a public records request form and present valid government-issued identification. Pursuant to La. R.S. 44:32, the custodian of records must make records available during regular office hours.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office
1455 Highway 90 West
Franklin, LA 70538
(337) 828-1960
www.stmaryso.com

Written requests may be submitted via certified mail to the Records Division at the address above. Such requests must include:

Full name of the subject
Date of birth (if known)
Approximate date of arrest (if known)
Case number (if available)
Requestor's contact information
Copy of requestor's identification

Electronic requests can be submitted through the Sheriff's Office online portal. Processing times for electronic requests typically range from 3-5 business days, in accordance with La. R.S. 44:35, which requires prompt production of public records.

For arrests made by municipal police departments within St. Mary Parish, separate requests must be directed to the appropriate agency:

Franklin Police Department
413 First Street
Franklin, LA 70538
(337) 828-1716
www.franklinla.gov

Morgan City Police Department
723 Myrtle Street
Morgan City, LA 70380
(985) 380-4605
www.morgancitypolice.org

Fees for copies of arrest records are established pursuant to La. R.S. 44:32(C), which permits reasonable charges for reproduction costs. Current fee schedules are posted at each agency location and on their respective websites.

Contents of a St. Mary Parish Arrest Record

St. Mary Parish arrest records contain standardized information as required by Louisiana law enforcement protocols and the Louisiana Criminal Code of Procedure. These records typically include the following components:

Biographical information of the arrested individual:

Full legal name and any documented aliases
Date of birth and age at time of arrest
Physical descriptors (height, weight, identifying marks)
Residential address at time of arrest
Louisiana identification number or driver's license number

Arrest details as documented by the arresting officer:

Date, time, and specific location of arrest
Name and badge number of arresting officer(s)
Agency responsible for the arrest
Statutory authority under which the arrest was made
Whether the arrest was made pursuant to a warrant

Criminal charge information:

Specific charges filed, with reference to applicable Louisiana Revised Statutes
Classification of offense (felony, misdemeanor, or infraction)
Narrative description of the alleged criminal activity
Names of alleged victims (may be redacted in certain cases)
Property seized during the arrest

Post-arrest processing information:

Booking photographs ("mugshots") taken from front and profile views
Fingerprint records collected during booking
Results of any chemical tests administered
Initial court appearance information
Bail or bond determination

The Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections maintains additional records for individuals transferred to state custody following conviction. These records contain sentencing information and institutional history as prescribed by La. R.S. 15:574.12.

Expungement of Arrest Records in St. Mary Parish

The expungement process in St. Mary Parish operates under the provisions of Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Articles 971-995. Expungement refers to the legal process by which arrest records are removed from public access, though they remain available to law enforcement agencies for official purposes.

Eligibility criteria for expungement in St. Mary Parish include:

For arrests that did not result in conviction:

Cases where prosecution was declined by the district attorney
Arrests where charges were dismissed or quashed
Cases resulting in acquittal after trial
Arrests for which no bill was returned by a grand jury

For cases resulting in conviction:

Misdemeanor convictions after a waiting period of 5 years with no intervening felony arrests
Certain non-violent felony convictions after a 10-year waiting period
First-offense possession of marijuana convictions after a 5-year waiting period

The expungement procedure requires filing a Motion for Expungement with the St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court, located at:

St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court
500 Main Street, Courthouse Building
Franklin, LA 70538
(337) 828-4100, ext. 200
www.stmaryclerk.com

Filing fees for expungement petitions are established by La. C.Cr.P. Art. 983 and currently range from $550 to $650, depending on the nature of the case. Fee waivers may be available for indigent applicants pursuant to La. C.Cr.P. Art. 983(G).

Upon receipt of a properly filed motion, the court will schedule a contradictory hearing where the district attorney and arresting agency may object to the expungement. If granted, the court will issue an Order of Expungement directing all relevant agencies to seal the records from public view.