Search Louisiana Court Dockets

Louisiana court dockets are public records kept by the Clerk of Court in each of the state's 64 parishes. A court docket lists every action filed in a case, from the first petition to the final judgment. You can search Louisiana court dockets online through statewide portals, at the parish clerk's office in person, or by mail. This guide covers all the ways to find and access court docket records across Louisiana's district courts, city courts, and appellate courts.

How to Find Louisiana Court Dockets

Louisiana court dockets are available through several channels. The fastest way is online through the eClerks LA statewide portal or through individual parish websites. Many parishes offer a free index search, while full document access requires a subscription or an in-person visit. Knowing which court handled the case is the first step to finding the right docket.

The Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority built eClerks LA so people can search records from multiple parishes in one place without leaving home. The free index search covers land records, civil information, marriage licenses, and probate records. Full document access requires creating an account and purchasing a subscription for the parishes you want. The system works best with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Firefox. Internet Explorer is not supported, and the site recommends keeping your browser updated for security reasons.

In-person searches are available at any Clerk of Court office across Louisiana. Staff can look up cases by name or case number and make copies on request. Most offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Some parishes, such as Lafayette and Vernon, open at 8:00 AM. Call ahead if you plan to visit. Tuesday through Thursday mornings are generally the least busy times.

The Louisiana Secretary of State clerk directory lists contact details for all 64 parish clerk offices. Use it to find the right phone number or address before making a trip to the courthouse.

The directory shows the clerk's name, address, phone, fax, and email for every parish. It is free to use and does not require an account.

eClerks LA - Louisiana Court Docket Portal

The eClerks LA portal is the official statewide system created by Louisiana's 64 parish clerks working together under the Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority (LCRAA). The system brings together records from participating parishes into one searchable tool. As the site puts it, it is "your one-stop shop for easy access to do business online with Louisiana clerks." You can search land records, civil dockets, marriage licenses, and probate records without driving to any courthouse.

Signing up is straightforward. Create an account at eClerksLA.com by clicking the Sign Up button, fill out your information with a valid email address, then check your inbox for the verification email from lcraa@laclerksofcourt.org. If it does not arrive, check your Spam or Junk folder. After verifying, purchase a subscription from the Parish Search Catalog for the parishes you want to search. Each parish may have different subscription levels and pricing. Monthly and annual subscription options are available, along with per-document purchase options. If you already have a subscription with an individual parish, contact support to transfer it to eClerks LA.

The portal also offers eClerks Alert, a free monitoring service that tracks land record changes across Louisiana parishes and sends email notifications. eRecording and eFileLA allow attorneys and legal professionals to file and record documents digitally through participating parish clerks. Online services include parish record search, eRecording, the statewide portal, and eFileLA.

Search options within eClerks LA include name-based searches for individuals or businesses, case number lookups, date range filters, property and land record searches by legal description, and marriage license lookups by bride or groom name. Criminal record searches are available in parishes where that feature is enabled. Once you purchase document images, download them from the My Parish Documents section in your account.

Clerk Connect - Court Docket Records Search

Clerk Connect is a second multi-parish portal used by several Louisiana parish clerk offices. It provides subscription access to civil suits, criminal cases, property records, land records, and UCC filings. As the site describes it, "the features and services available are specific to each office but may include search and retrieval of Civil suits, Criminal Cases, Property Records and Land Records." The portal also offers e-recording services for participating parishes.

Parishes using Clerk Connect for online inquiry include Allen, Natchitoches, Claiborne, Jackson, Richland, Bossier, Caddo, Lafourche, Lincoln, and East Baton Rouge. East Baton Rouge moved all online records to Clerk Connect as of June 2022. Civil, family, probate, criminal, traffic, mortgage, conveyance, map indexes, and UCC records are all searchable through one system there. Online print and electronic certification are available for subscribers, letting you print certified copies from home or your office.

E-Filing through Clerk Connect is available for East Baton Rouge, Lincoln, Ouachita, St. John the Baptist, Caddo, Bossier, and Lafourche parishes. E-Recording is available for Bossier, Caddo, Lincoln, Allen, Jackson, and Natchitoches parishes. If your parish is listed here, you may be able to file or record new documents without a courthouse visit.

Louisiana Supreme Court Docket

The Louisiana Supreme Court is the court of last resort in the state. It sits at 400 Royal Street in New Orleans. The court has three types of jurisdiction: original, appellate, and supervisory. As the court states, "the majority of filings in this Court are requests for the Court to exercise its supervisory jurisdiction by reviewing actions of lower courts." The Court sits en banc, meaning all seven justices hear each case together.

Appellate jurisdiction at the Supreme Court level extends primarily to cases where a statute has been declared unconstitutional by a lower court or where a person has been convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Original jurisdiction covers attorney discipline matters, judicial discipline matters, and contempt of court cases. The court's online case search lets you look up matters by party name, case number, or attorney bar number. Published opinions from 1996 to the present are available on the site at no cost.

Attorneys can register for the Supreme Court e-filing system to submit documents electronically, view filing deadlines, and receive case update notifications. The Law Library of Louisiana is also located at 400 Royal Street, second floor, and can be reached at (504) 310-2400.

Louisiana Circuit Court Dockets

Louisiana has five intermediate appellate courts between the district courts and the Supreme Court. Each serves a set of parishes and handles civil and criminal appeals from district courts within its region. Dockets and opinions are available on each court's website, and most offer search by case number, party name, or attorney bar number.

The First Circuit Court of Appeal sits in Baton Rouge and covers 16 parishes in southeastern Louisiana, including Ascension, East Baton Rouge, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Livingston, Lafourche, and West Baton Rouge. Visit la-fcca.org for dockets, opinions, and filing information. Clerk of Court Rodd Naquin oversees the office. The First Circuit encompasses some of the most populated parishes in the state and handles a high volume of family, civil, and criminal appeals.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeal is in Shreveport and serves 20 parishes in northern Louisiana, including Caddo, Bossier, Ouachita, Lincoln, Webster, Winn, and Tensas. Find dockets and opinions at la2nd.org. The Second Circuit publishes new opinions regularly, with dockets issued monthly. Resources available on the site include uniform rules, local rules, brief checklists, appeal docketing procedures, writ docketing procedures, and a pro se manual for self-represented litigants. A writ intake form is also available in Spanish.

The Third Circuit Court of Appeal covers 21 parishes in southwestern and central Louisiana, including Calcasieu, Lafayette, Rapides, St. Landry, Iberia, Allen, and Vernon. The court office is at 1000 Main Street in Lake Charles and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Visit la3circuit.org for dockets and opinions. The Third Circuit serves more parishes than any other Louisiana appellate court.

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal is located in New Orleans at 410 Royal Street and serves Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes. Its website offers an opinions and docket search feature where you can view docket sheets by case number, case year, case title, or date of publication. Attorney searches by name and bar number are also available. The Fifth Circuit in Gretna serves Jefferson, St. Charles, St. James, and St. John the Baptist parishes. Opinions from 1992 to the present and dockets from 2006 to the present are searchable on the Fifth Circuit site. To search, you need either a case number, district court number, litigant's name, or attorney bar roll number and year.

Parish Clerk of Court - Louisiana Docket Records

In Louisiana, the Clerk of Court in each parish is the official keeper of court dockets and case records. The clerk's office handles civil suits, criminal case filings, land records, marriage licenses, and probate files. The clerk also functions as the recorder of deeds and is often the chief election officer for the parish. Every document filed in a district court goes into the clerk's records and remains there permanently.

Louisiana has 64 parishes, each with its own Clerk of Court. Hours are typically 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays, though some parishes vary. All offices close on state holidays. Tuesday through Thursday mornings are generally the best times to visit. Many clerks accept mail requests for records, and some have online portals for searching. Fees vary by parish for copies and certified documents. Most clerks charge between $0.50 and $1.00 per page for plain copies, with higher fees for certified documents.

Note: Contact the specific parish clerk's office before visiting to confirm hours, fees, and what identification you may need to bring.

Louisiana Court Docket Public Access Laws

Louisiana's public records law gives the public broad access to court dockets and case files. Under Louisiana Revised Statutes § 44:32, the custodian of records must present any public record to any person of majority age who requests it. You do not need to explain why you want a record. You do not need to be a party to the case. Records may be inspected free of charge during regular business hours, though copy fees may apply. The requestor must be 18 or older, and the custodian may ask for proof of age.

Some court records are restricted. Juvenile court records are protected under Louisiana Children's Code Article 412. Adoption records, mental health records filed in court, and records sealed by a judge are also off-limits to the public. Details such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers are typically redacted from public copies. Grand jury proceedings and mental health commitments are generally not available to the public. Sensitive victim information in sexual assault or domestic violence cases may also be restricted.

Louisiana Revised Statute § 13:503 ensures that district courts remain open and hearings are held publicly for transparency. Most court proceedings in Louisiana are open. Juvenile matters, certain family law cases, and some proceedings involving sensitive information are the main exceptions. West Feliciana Parish's clerk sums it up well: "The fees collected for recordings, certified copies and services rendered in connection with civil, probate and criminal proceedings are established by statute. All salaries and expenses of the office are paid out of the fees. This makes the Clerk of Court's office almost entirely self-supporting."

Louisiana Law Help offers plain-language guides on how to access public records and navigate the court system without a lawyer. Their site explains what the Clerk of Court does and how to request records for legal research, genealogy, or personal matters.

Browse Louisiana Court Dockets by Parish

Every parish in Louisiana has its own Clerk of Court who keeps court docket records. Pick a parish below to find local contact information, courthouse details, and docket search resources for that area.

View All 64 Louisiana Parishes

Court Dockets in Major Louisiana Cities

Looking for court dockets in a specific city? Pick a city below to find the courthouse, clerk office, and docket search options for that area.

View Major Louisiana Cities