§1904.1. City courts; destruction of useless records; City Court of Baton Rouge

A. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 13:1904(A) and (B) and R.S. 44:36(A) to the contrary, the clerk of the City Court of Baton Rouge may, upon consent of a majority of judges 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.

B. The clerk of the City Court of Baton Rouge may, upon consent of a majority of judges 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.

C. The destruction of criminal records authorized by Subsection B 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 2004, No. 483, §1; Acts 2012, No. 101, §1, eff. May 11, 2012.