Morehouse Parish Arrest Records

In Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, law enforcement agents are authorized to make an arrest when they believe an individual has committed a crime. They may also effect an arrest if they have a warrant for an individual's arrest or they have established probable cause. The Morehouse Parish jail is the main detention facility in the area. This facility is where most inmates are kept.

The Morehouse Sheriff's office is in charge of keeping arrest records. These records provide information about the circumstances around an arrest. They record vital and sometimes minute details related to arrests carried out within the county. They often form part of a broader public repository of records, which includes Morehouse Parish court records. Moreover, these arrest records are vital as individuals and agencies rely on them during background checks and investigations.

Are Arrest Records Public in Morehouse Parish?

Yes. Under the Louisiana Public Records Act, arrest records are considered public. The law stipulates that records produced or received by public agencies are available for the public to view or copy. The law also allows for some exceptions. Records exempted from public access include:

• Personal information that may constitute a security risk to victims or witnesses
• Records that may undermine ongoing criminal investigations
• Arrest records that reveal sensitive personal data of individuals, including social security numbers and bank account numbers.
• Juvenile records
• Records of arrests that never led to court charges
• Expunged or sealed records

These categories of records are not accessible to the public but are available to criminal justice agencies and individuals with a court order.

Morehouse Parish Arrest Statistics

According to 2019 FBI Uniform Crime Reporting statistics from Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, the crime rate was 4,690 per 100,000 residents. The total number of index crimes was 1,201. The county jail had an average daily population of 44 inmates. The Parish reported 104 cases of aggravated assault, 8 cases of sexual assault, and 1,053 property crimes. Drug-related offenses, particularly narcotics possession, were the leading causes of arrests in the Parish.

Find Morehouse Parish Arrest Records

The Clerk of the Morehouse Parish court is the custodian of court-related documents. Case files, court hearing records, convictions, and penalties may be accessed by interested members of the public in person or by mail. To facilitate the record search process, requesters should provide specific details about the case records they seek, such as the case number, names of the parties to the case, and the date of filing. They must also pay the required fees for copying records.

Morehouse Parish Clerk of Court
100E Madison Avenue,
Bastrop, LA 71220,
Phone: (318) 281-3343

In addition to physical access to arrest records at the office of the parish clerk, the parish provides online resources for record seekers. Also, interested parties may obtain Morehouse Parish arrest records at the Sheriff's office. They may visit the records division of the office.

Morehouse Parish Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Individuals often assume that arrest and criminal records are synonymous and sometimes use the terms indiscriminately. In Morehouse Parish, the two are distinct records in many ways. An arrest record offers details about the arrestee and the offence they committed. However, it is only a summary and subsection of the information contained in a complete criminal record.

Morehouse Parish criminal records are official documents showing a person's interactions with law enforcement. Information found on these records includes:

• The name of the subject
• Physical descriptions of the subject
• Charges against them, including the statutes violated
• Date of arrest
• Case verdict

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Article 978 of the Louisiana State Legislature articulates the grounds upon which arrest records may be expunged. The only legal way to take an arrest record off an individual's record in law enforcement databases is through expungement.

Morehouse Parish Arrest Warrants

A Morehouse Parish arrest warrant is a legal document issued by a magistrate or judge after considering evidence that an individual committed a crime. When law enforcement officers suspect that an individual is involved in criminal activity, they begin by collating evidence. This may include documents, witness statements, or affidavits. They present this collated, corroborating evidence to the judge. If the judge finds the evidence sufficient, they authorize the warrant.

Any law enforcement officer with an arrest warrant in the parish may arrest and detain an individual named in the warrant upon sighting. In some cases, warrantless arrests are also legal. An arrest warrant usually contains the suspect's name, a physical description, the name of the issuing judge, the issuance date, and the reasons for the warrant.

Do Morehouse Parish Arrest Warrants Expire?

No. Morehouse Parish warrants duly issued by a judge or magistrate remain active until they are executed or the judge recalls them. An arrest warrant must be in writing and include the offense, the suspect's name and a clear description, the issuance date, and the signature of the issuing judge.

Expunge Morehouse Parish Arrest Records

In Morehouse Parish, individuals may be eligible to expunge arrest records under certain conditions. Expungement removes the record from public view. To qualify, the individual must have had their charges dismissed, acquitted, or completed a pretrial diversion program. The individual must file a petition with the court to begin the process. In some cases, a hearing may be necessary to decide if the petitioner meets the requirements for expungement.