New Orleans court records reportedly moved, destroyed, Orleans Parish clerk of court says

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Concern is being raised after New Orleans city officials reportedly moved and in one case destroyed court documents, some of which had lifelong retention requirements.

According to Clerk of the Criminal District Court and Orleans Parish Chief Elections Officer Darren Lombard, on Aug. 1, his office was notified of the incidents, which he says occurred without authorization.

Lombard said destroyed documents were reportedly dumped into a debris field at the Department of Public Works Maintenance Yard on Clark Street. There, clerk’s office personnel reportedly found that a full container of documents were dumped, mixed among general trash, strewn across the yard, caught in the wind and scattered beyond the perimeter.

Lombard says his team worked to recover the remaining documents and gather what they could. Some city-controlled trailers and their contents reportedly remain unaccounted for as officials continue to search for their locations.

Lombard went on to state that the records were in the custody of the city and initially stored on-site due to the absence of a secure and dedicated clerk of court storage facility, despite numerous attempts by the clerk’s office to acquire one.

Lombard now calls for the involvement of the Chief Administrative Officer and the Mayor’s Office into a full investigation into the incident, as well as directives to city departments against the unauthorized movement or disposal of clerk of court property.

WGNO reached out to the city for a response and has not yet heard back.

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