New Orleans Bench Warrants
Bench warrants in New Orleans are issued by the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court when defendants fail to appear for scheduled court dates or violate conditions set by a judge. New Orleans and Orleans Parish share the same boundaries, so all city cases go through the parish court system. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office maintains the warrants database, and the New Orleans Police Department assists with enforcement. Residents who think they may have an active bench warrant can check with the sheriff's office or contact the Criminal District Court directly for case information.
New Orleans Quick Facts
Searching for Bench Warrants in New Orleans
There is no direct public online warrant database for New Orleans. The NOPD uses electronic warrant forms through the CloudGavel system, but that tool is for law enforcement only. To check for a bench warrant, contact the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office or call NOPD at (504) 821-2222. You can also call 311 for non-emergency inquiries. In-person requests can be made at NOPD headquarters at 715 South Broad Street, New Orleans, LA 70119.
The Orleans Parish Criminal District Court handles all felony cases and bench warrants in the city. The court is at 2700 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119. The phone is (504) 658-9300. The New Orleans Municipal Court at 727 South Broad Street handles misdemeanor and traffic matters. Its phone number is (504) 658-9600. Bench warrants can come from either court depending on the type of case.
When the court issues a bench warrant, it is physically sent to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office for entry into the warrants database. These warrants stay active until recalled by the issuing court. Under La. C.Cr.P. Art. 349.1, judges have broad authority to issue bench warrants. La. C.Cr.P. Art. 205 confirms that they do not expire.
New Orleans Police Department
The New Orleans Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in the city. Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick leads the department. NOPD uses Form 206 for warrant applications and Form 205 for arrest warrants. These forms are available on the NOPD Web Applications system as backups to the electronic CloudGavel process.
The screenshot shows the NOPD homepage. The department works with the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office to enforce bench warrants throughout the city. For warrant-related questions, the detective division and dispatch can direct your call.
Orleans Parish Court System
Bench warrants in New Orleans come from either the Criminal District Court or the Municipal Court. La. C.Cr.P. Art. 202 governs arrest warrants, while Art. 349.1 specifically covers bench warrants. Art. 203 lists what a warrant must contain, including the name of the accused and the offense. The Criminal District Court handles serious criminal cases, while the Municipal Court covers misdemeanors and city ordinance violations.
The collections department also issues warrants for unpaid fines. These warrants are couriered to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office for entry into the database. They remain outstanding until recalled by collections agents. If you have unpaid fines from a city court case, there may be an active warrant tied to your name. Call the Municipal Court to find out.
Orleans Parish handles all bench warrant cases for the city. Since city and parish boundaries are the same in New Orleans, there is no separate county-level process. Everything goes through the Orleans Parish system.
Independent Police Monitor
The Office of the Independent Police Monitor (OIPM) provides civilian oversight of NOPD. The office is at 2714 Canal Street, Suite 201, New Orleans, LA 70119. The phone number is (504) 309-9799. While the OIPM does not handle bench warrants directly, it is a resource for people who have complaints about how warrant enforcement is carried out by NOPD officers.
The OIPM website shown above provides information about civilian oversight of law enforcement in New Orleans. La. R.S. 44:1 makes most government records public, and the OIPM operates under transparency guidelines. La. R.S. 44:31 gives adults the right to inspect public records, and La. R.S. 44:32 sets the fees for copies.
Resolving New Orleans Bench Warrants
To clear a bench warrant in New Orleans, you need to address the case in the court that issued it. An attorney can file a motion to recall the warrant and schedule a new hearing. La. C.Cr.P. Art. 336 governs bail conditions. La. C.Cr.P. Art. 211.1 allows summons in lieu of arrest for certain misdemeanor charges. The City Attorney's Office can be reached at (504) 658-9800 at 1300 Perdido Street for questions about city court cases.
La. C.Cr.P. Art. 162 addresses search warrants, which are separate from bench warrants. La. R.S. 44:3 lists exemptions to public records access. If you have an active bench warrant, consulting an attorney before turning yourself in is usually the best approach. Many lawyers in the New Orleans area handle warrant recalls regularly. The Louisiana State Bar Association maintains a referral service that can help you find one.
Nearby Cities
New Orleans is surrounded by several communities that are part of the metro area. Bench warrants from Orleans Parish can be served anywhere in Louisiana. Nearby cities with their own pages include: