Iberville Parish Warrant Lookup
Bench warrants in Iberville Parish are issued by the 18th Judicial District Court in Plaquemine when a defendant fails to appear for a scheduled court hearing or violates conditions imposed by the court. Sheriff Brett Stassi and the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office handle the enforcement and service of all bench warrants throughout the parish. Iberville Parish sits along the Mississippi River west of Baton Rouge, with Plaquemine serving as the parish seat. Residents who think they might have an outstanding bench warrant should contact the sheriff's office or clerk of court to verify their status and take appropriate action before an unplanned encounter with law enforcement leads to arrest.
Iberville Parish Quick Facts
Iberville Parish Bench Warrant Search
The Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office offers an online warrant search tool. You can search for active arrest warrants that have been issued by the office. The main office is at 58050 Meriam Street in Plaquemine. Call (225) 687-5100 to speak with staff directly. The office also operates a substation at 77180 Ridgewood Drive in Maringouin, phone (225) 625-2365.
The Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office website provides access to warrant search tools and department information for bench warrant inquiries.
The sheriff's website gives residents ways to check warrant status, pay taxes, and handle traffic tickets online.
The sheriff's office has several departments that handle different parts of the warrant process. The Civil Division, managed by McKenzie Wille, handles suits, records, and warrants. The Criminal Division is led by Chief Deputy Stephen Engolio. The Detectives Unit, under Major Ronnie Hebert, investigates cases that may lead to warrants. The offender search feature lets you look up currently incarcerated individuals to see if someone has already been arrested on a bench warrant.
The Iberville Parish Sheriff's departments page shows the various divisions involved in bench warrant processing and enforcement.
The departments page lists the divisions and their contact information for warrant-related inquiries.
Iberville Parish Court Records and Bench Warrants
The Iberville Parish Clerk of Court maintains all court records for the 18th Judicial District. Clerk Amy Patin oversees the office at the courthouse, 58050 Meriam Street, 1st Floor in Plaquemine. Phone is (225) 687-5160. Fax is (225) 687-5260. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The Criminal Records Department handles all criminal proceedings of the District Court. Staff prepares documents for criminal court and records proceedings of criminal cases.
A criminal search through the clerk's office costs $20.00 per name. Payment must be by money order or cashier's check only. This fee covers a search of the criminal case files, which include bench warrant information. Under La. R.S. 44:1, these are public records. La. R.S. 44:31 allows anyone of legal age to inspect them. Copies are available under La. R.S. 44:32 for standard per-page fees. The clerk also offers online access through the statewide eClerksLA system, where civil filings, marriages, mortgage records, and property transactions can be searched. Criminal filings are expected to be available through the system soon.
How Bench Warrants Work in Iberville Parish
A bench warrant from the 18th JDC is issued when a defendant misses court. La. C.Cr.P. Art. 349.1 gives judges this authority. The warrant directs the sheriff to find and arrest the person. This is separate from a regular arrest warrant under La. C.Cr.P. Art. 202, which comes from a police investigation. Bench warrants are tied to an existing court case.
These warrants do not expire in Louisiana. La. C.Cr.P. Art. 205 is clear on this. A bench warrant from years ago stays active until the person is arrested, turns themselves in, or the court recalls it. Iberville Parish deputies can serve the warrant at any time. Officers from neighboring parishes or the state police can execute it too. Any law enforcement contact, from a traffic stop on Highway 1 to a checkpoint near Plaquemine, can lead to arrest if an active bench warrant exists. La. C.Cr.P. Art. 203 sets out what the warrant must include: the name of the subject, the offense, the date of issuance, and the judge's signature.
Resolving Iberville Parish Bench Warrants
The best way to handle a bench warrant is to deal with it voluntarily. Hire an attorney to file a motion to recall the warrant and set a new court date with the 18th JDC. Judges in Iberville Parish generally view voluntary surrender more favorably than forced arrest. You take responsibility, the judge resets your case, and you move forward with the underlying charge.
La. C.Cr.P. Art. 211.1 allows for summons and release in certain misdemeanor cases. If your bench warrant is for a minor offense, you may not have to sit in jail while waiting for a hearing. Bond amounts are set by the judge based on the original charge. La. C.Cr.P. Art. 336 covers bail procedures for warrant arrests. Some bench warrants allow you to post bond at the jail. Others require a court hearing first.
Expungement is also possible after a case is resolved. The Iberville Parish Clerk of Court lists expungement fees: $200 to the Clerk, $250 to Louisiana State Police, $50 to the District Attorney's Office, and $50 to the Sheriff's Office. DWI charges carry an extra $50 fee. But expungement only comes after the bench warrant has been cleared and the case is closed. Contact the clerk at (225) 687-5160 or the sheriff at (225) 687-5100 to start the process of resolving your warrant. The Jury Duty Hotline at 1-800-273-2666 is separate from warrant inquiries. La. C.Cr.P. Art. 162 governs search warrants specifically and should not be confused with bench warrant procedures.
Nearby Parishes
An Iberville Parish bench warrant is enforceable across all of Louisiana. Law enforcement in any parish can serve it. These parishes share borders with Iberville: