St. John the Baptist Parish Traffic Ticket Records

Traffic ticket records in St. John the Baptist Parish are maintained by the 40th Judicial District Court in Edgard, where Clerk Hon. Eliana DeFrancesch handles case filings and public access to traffic court records.

40th Judicial District Court in Edgard

All traffic ticket records in St. John the Baptist Parish go through the 40th Judicial District Court. The clerk's office is in Edgard, the parish seat. Hon. Eliana DeFrancesch serves as Clerk of Court and her office can be reached at (985) 497-3331. The clerk's website is at stjohnclerk.org.

Traffic citations in St. John the Baptist Parish are issued by the Sheriff's Office, the Louisiana State Police, and other law enforcement agencies with jurisdiction here. Each citation filed with the court creates a public record managed by the clerk's office. The community of LaPlace, the largest in the parish, sits along the I-10 corridor and sees a high volume of traffic enforcement activity. Citations from LaPlace and all other parts of the parish are handled at the 40th Judicial District Court in Edgard. There is no separate city court for LaPlace. For more details specific to LaPlace, see the LaPlace traffic ticket records page.

Court Costs for Traffic Violations

St. John the Baptist Parish has set specific court costs for traffic violations. Moving violations carry total court costs of $124.50. Non-moving violations are assessed court costs of $119.50. These amounts are in addition to the base fine on your citation. The total you owe will be higher than the face value of the ticket.

Before you submit payment, contact the clerk's office at (985) 497-3331 to confirm the exact total due on your specific case. The clerk can give you the amount that includes both the fine and the court costs. If time has passed since you received the citation, additional fees may have accrued. Always get a confirmed total before paying to make sure the case is fully closed. Submitting the wrong amount can leave the case open and create additional complications down the road.

Online Payment Through CTS Payments

St. John the Baptist Parish uses CTS Payments for online traffic fine payment. Enter your citation number and the information from your ticket into the portal to complete a payment. The system accepts most major payment methods and provides a confirmation once the transaction goes through. Keep that confirmation as proof of payment.

In Louisiana, paying a traffic ticket constitutes a guilty plea. Louisiana does not use a driver point system, but the conviction is still reported to the Office of Motor Vehicles within 30 days under R.S. 32:393. The conviction then appears on your statewide driving record. Insurance companies check that record when setting your rates. If you believe the citation was wrong or want to contest it, do not pay. Contact the clerk's office and appear on your court date to enter a not guilty plea.

The Louisiana DPS site provides information on how traffic convictions from St. John the Baptist Parish and other Louisiana courts connect to the statewide OMV driving record system.

Failure to Appear and License Suspension

Missing a court date on a St. John the Baptist Parish traffic case triggers two things at once: the court issues an arrest warrant and the OMV suspends your driver's license. Both happen without additional notice to you.

If this happened to you, contact the 40th Judicial District Court clerk at (985) 497-3331 right away. The clerk's office can walk you through what is needed to clear the failure to appear, address any warrant, and get the case back before a judge. After the court matter is resolved, the OMV ExpressLane portal is where you can check your license status and begin the reinstatement process. Acting quickly keeps the situation from growing worse and more expensive.

The OMV ExpressLane portal shows your current license status and provides options for reinstatement when a suspension stems from a failure to appear in a St. John the Baptist Parish traffic case.

Public Records Access and Your Driving Record

Louisiana's public records law at R.S. 44:1 gives anyone the right to inspect and copy court records, including traffic ticket records from the 40th Judicial District Court. Courts must respond to records requests within three business days. To request St. John the Baptist Parish traffic records, contact the clerk at (985) 497-3331 or visit in person in Edgard. Copy fees may apply, and the clerk can give you the current rates. Have the name, case number, or citation number ready when you reach out.

Your statewide driving record is a separate document held by the OMV. It reflects convictions reported from courts across Louisiana, including those from St. John the Baptist Parish. You can order a copy through the OMV ExpressLane for $18 online, or pay $15 at an OMV office in person. The record shows final dispositions, not pending cases. It is what insurance companies and others check when reviewing your driving history.

R.S. 32:393 is the state law that requires the 40th Judicial District Court to report St. John the Baptist Parish traffic convictions to the OMV within 30 days of each case disposition.

Contesting a Citation in the 40th District

To fight a citation in St. John the Baptist Parish, appear in the 40th Judicial District Court in Edgard on your scheduled court date and enter a not guilty plea. Do not pay the ticket before the hearing date if you intend to contest it. Paying closes the case as a guilty plea. At the hearing, the issuing officer must appear and present the state's case. You can question them, present evidence, and call witnesses. An attorney who knows the local court can help you build a stronger defense or negotiate a reduced charge.

If you need to reschedule your court date, contact the clerk's office at (985) 497-3331 before the date arrives. Do not simply miss the date. Failure to appear creates a warrant and a license suspension that are far more complicated and costly to resolve than the original citation.

Nearby Parishes

St. John the Baptist Parish sits along the River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Several neighboring parishes have their own courts and clerks for traffic ticket records.