§1904. City courts; destruction of useless records; certain courts

A. The clerk of court may, upon consent of the judge or of the majority of judges in jurisdictions with several divisions and with authorization from the state archivist as provided in R.S. 44:411, destroy records of any of the following judicial proceedings when such records have been deemed by the presiding judge or judges to have no further use or value: suits on open accounts, tort suits, suits on unsecured notes, suits on promissory notes, suits on chattel mortgages, and suits for eviction of tenants and occupants. However, such proposed destruction shall be authorized only when ten years have elapsed from the last date of action on the record or records.

B. No cause of action shall exist against any clerk or judge for the destruction of such records in accordance with the provisions of this Section.

C. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A to the contrary, the clerk of the City Court of Houma, the clerk of the City Court of Ruston, and the clerk of the City Court of Lake Charles may, upon consent of the judge or of the majority of judges if there is more than one city judge and with authorization from the state archivist as provided in R.S. 44:411, destroy records of judicial proceedings involving suits for eviction of tenants and occupants when such records have been deemed by the presiding judge or judges to have no further use or value. However, such proposed destruction shall be authorized only when two years have elapsed from the last date of action on the record or records when the suit is not appealed or two years have elapsed after all appeals are exhausted.

D. The clerk of the City Court of Hammond, the clerk of the City Court of Houma, the clerk of the City Court of Ruston, and the clerk of the City Court of Lake Charles may, upon consent of the judge or of the majority of judges if there is more than one city judge and with authorization from the state archivist as provided in R.S. 44:411, destroy records of criminal proceedings involving misdemeanor convictions when such records have been deemed by the presiding judge or judges to have no further use or value. However, such proposed destruction shall be authorized only when ten years have elapsed from the date of the judgment of conviction when the conviction is not appealed or two years have elapsed after all appeals are exhausted. The provisions of this Subsection shall not apply to a conviction for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

E. The destruction of criminal records authorized by Subsection D of this Section may occur only after the clerk of court's office has scanned the records and stored them in an electronic format that is in compliance with all rules adopted by the Department of State relative to retention and storage of records.

Acts 1985, No. 313, §1; Acts 2003, No. 613, §1; Acts 2006, No. 197, §1; Acts 2010, No. 166, §1; Acts 2012, No. 101, §1, eff. May 11, 2012; Acts 2016, No. 211, §1, eff. May 26, 2016.