The Criminal Department is responsible for the filing of all formal charges from the 15th Judicial District Attorney's Office in the Parish of Lafayette, Louisiana. This department handles all felony charges that fall under the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedures and occur within the Parish of Lafayette. Misdemeanor charges are handled in the municipal courts, if such occurrence is within their city limits, otherwise our office will receive a Bill of Information/Indictment charging the defendant in our courts.

The Criminal Department sends notice to the defendant's in each case, as well as notify his/her attorney and bondsman. At the request of the State or defendant the Criminal Department will issue subpoenas to witnesses requiring their presence in court.

The Criminal Department consists of Minute Clerks, whose responsibilities are to transcribe an outline of what occurs in court, administer the oath to all jurors and witnesses and keep all evidence introduced by either the State or the defendant; Processing Clerks, are responsible for the setting of cases to be heard in court for each Judge, and the issuing of subpoenas and posting of all motions and orders into the computer system, that are filed in the department.