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Court Records

Louisiana Court Records

How Louisiana's courts are organized, where their records are kept and how to search them.

Louisiana is unique among the states. Its civil law tradition comes from French and Spanish law, and its counties are called parishes. Each of the 64 parishes has an elected clerk of court who keeps the district court records and, unusually, also serves as the parish recorder of deeds and mortgages.

There is no statewide public search of trial court records. Many parish clerks offer online access to their records, often through paid subscription services.

How Louisiana's courts are organized

Louisiana has a three-tier structure, plus a variety of limited jurisdiction courts that differ from parish to parish.

Louisiana Supreme Court

Seven justices review decisions of the courts of appeal, hear appeals when a law is declared unconstitutional and supervise all state courts.

Courts of Appeal

Five circuit courts of appeal hear civil appeals, including review of facts, and most criminal appeals.

District courts

The general jurisdiction trial courts, organized into judicial districts. In Orleans Parish, civil and criminal cases are handled by separate district courts.

Family and juvenile courts

Some parishes have separate family or juvenile courts; elsewhere the district court handles these cases.

City, parish, justice of the peace and mayor's courts

Limited jurisdiction courts that hear misdemeanors, traffic, small claims and smaller civil cases. Each keeps its own records.

Searching Louisiana court records online

Online access in Louisiana is parish by parish.

Getting records from the clerk's office

Contact the clerk of court in the parish where the case was filed. The clerk keeps civil, criminal, family and probate (called succession) records for the district court, plus the parish's land, mortgage and marriage records. Clerks charge set fees for copies and certification, and many sell online access by subscription.

City and parish court records come from those courts directly. In Orleans Parish, the Civil District Court and Criminal District Court each have their own clerk.

What is public, and what is not

Louisiana's public records law and court rules make most court records open, but juvenile, adoption, mental health and some family records are confidential.

Louisiana allows expungement of many arrest records and convictions after a waiting period. Expunged records are removed from public access but remain available to law enforcement and some licensing agencies. Louisiana also has an online system for filing expungement requests.

Older and archived records

Parish clerks keep many records permanently, including historic conveyance and succession records. Historical court records are also held by the Louisiana State Archives and, for New Orleans, by the City Archives at the New Orleans Public Library.

Criminal history and background records

A court file tells you what happened in one case in one court. A criminal history record (often called a rap sheet) pulls together arrests, charges and outcomes reported from across the state, so it is a different product kept by a different agency.

The Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information keeps the state's criminal history records. They are not generally open to the public; employers and licensing agencies run checks under specific laws.

Federal court records in Louisiana

Federal cases, including federal crimes, bankruptcies, and lawsuits over federal law or between citizens of different states, are not filed in Louisiana's state courts. Louisiana is divided into 3 federal judicial districts, and each has its own clerk's office:

Federal case files are searched through PACER, the federal judiciary's records system. PACER charges a small fee per page, but you pay nothing if your charges stay under the quarterly fee-waiver threshold, court opinions are free, and every federal courthouse has public terminals you can use at no cost. Many PACER documents have also been copied into the free RECAP Archive on CourtListener. Appeals from Louisiana's federal courts go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Tips for a faster search

  • In Louisiana, an estate case is called a succession. Look for succession records when searching for probate files.
  • Many parish clerks sell online access by the day or month; for one record, a mail or phone request may be cheaper.
  • Because the clerk is also the recorder, the same office can help with both court cases and property records.
  • Have the full names of the parties, the county and a rough date range ready. A case number is the fastest way in if you have one.
  • Online indexes are not the official record. If a decision depends on it, get a copy (or a certified copy) from the clerk's office that holds the file.

Legal help and law libraries

Clerks and law librarians can explain how to find a record, but they cannot give legal advice. These organizations can point you in the right direction:

This guide is general information about public records, not legal advice. Court websites, fees and rules change, so confirm details with the court before you rely on them. Civics-Online.org is not affiliated with any court or government agency.