Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Court Records
Residents and businesses often turn to the Lafayette Parish court system to resolve civil disputes and answer criminal charges. These daily judicial activities generate plenty of paperwork, including digital files, which court clerks preserve for both immediate use and historical reference.
Case parties, legal professionals, and everyday citizens rely on these documents to keep abreast of ongoing litigation, verify past judgments, or conduct general background research.
During these legal proceedings, litigants often submit documents from other government agencies to support their claims. As a result, a single file might incorporate local police arrest logs, property deeds, or state vital records. These weave Lafayette Parish court records together with the broader public record system.
Are Lafayette Parish Court Records Public?
Yes. Louisiana's Constitution declares the people's right to directly participate in the affairs of public bodies, including courts. This allows anyone to sit in during a court hearing and inspect or copy records in that or any other case. Only a lawful statute or court order can deprive anyone of this inherent right, and only for a valid reason.
Aside from the constitution, the state's Public Records Law proclaims that citizens have the right to access all documentary material in the possession of a public body, regardless of physical form. Thus, a parish court clerk must honor access requests regardless of the underlying purpose.
However, there are laws that group certain records as confidential, either because the information is sensitive or because it exposes a vulnerable category of individuals. Consequently, judicial officers will automatically withhold or redact the following:
- Juvenile delinquency court records
- Criminal court records related to active police investigations (La. Rev. Stat. § 44:3)
- Adoption and child custody documents (La. Child. Code art. 1107)
- Financial account numbers and other sensitive personally identifiable information
- Medical and psychiatric records (La. Rev. Stat. § 44:7)
What Information is Available in Lafayette Parish Court Records?
Lafayette Parish court records contain a wide range of case details and filings generated during judicial proceedings. Members of the public can typically review the following information and documents within open case files:
Case Information
- Party names
- Case number
- Filing date
- Presiding judge
- Current case status
- Hearing schedules
Court Documents
- Petitions and complaints
- Summonses and notices
- Motions and responses
- Judicial orders
- Final judgments and decrees
- Transcripts and minutes
Lafayette Parish Court Records Search
People searching for Lafayette Parish court records must direct their inquiries to the appropriate court custodian. Finding specific files may depend on who handled the case: the parish-level district court or the local city court. Once one identifies the correct jurisdiction, the search can be conducted from a personal device, by visiting the courthouse, or by submitting a request remotely.
Online Access
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court establishes electronic access to civil, criminal, probate, and family case files through the statewide case records system. To use the website, users must create an account and purchase a subscription with a credit card. Thereafter, they will be able to search indices and view or print document images. People can subscribe to daily, monthly, or yearly packages.
Lafayette City Court has its own exclusive portal for case searches. Being the principal court for misdemeanors, traffic matters, and limited civil cases within Lafayette City, where almost half the parish's people live, the records it generates are relatively significant. People can use the portal to look up minor criminal offenses, municipal code violations, and city traffic tickets. Even though the database only contains basic case statuses and upcoming hearing dates, it may be a useful starting point for more comprehensive searches.
In-Person Access
The Lafayette Parish Courthouse allows visitors to conduct physical case searches, review records on public computer terminals, or request certified copies in person. It is located at
800 South Buchanan Street
Lafayette, LA 70501
Phone: (337) 291-6400
The building is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visitors should dress conservatively and avoid bringing camera phones into the premises, as such action is prohibited.
Mail and Phone Requests
Individuals searching for records can make use of the parish's mail, email, or phone options, as applicable. If the online system does not have a specific civil case record or a subscription is not available, searchers can directly email the District Court's Civil Department at CivilRecordsRequest@lpclerk.com. The message should include the docket number, document title, copy quantity, and whether certified or plain copies are required.
The Clerk of Court offers a dedicated online Criminal Records Request form on its official website for criminal case records. A requester must provide the defendant's name and their own contact information, including name, email address, and phone number.
If making a request by mail, the outbound package must include a stamped return envelope, payment, and enough details to enable court staff to locate the record. The complete request can be mailed to the Clerk of Court at
P.O. Box 2009
Lafayette, LA 70502
Official sources generally advise placing a call to inquire about copy fees or accepted payment methods before mailing a request.
The following table outlines email and phone options for the Clerk's civil and criminal divisions.
|
Channel |
Civil |
Criminal |
|---|---|---|
|
Phone |
(337) 291-6306 |
(337) 291-6329 |
|
| ||
|
Request Form |
N/A |
The public can also call the District Court's main office at (337) 291-6400 for general inquiries.
Fees for Court Records in Lafayette Parish
While reviewing case information in person is generally free, the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court charges specific fees for their services when providing physical or certified documents. Authorized under La. Rev. Stat. § 13:841 and La. Rev Stat. § 44:32, these costs cover the time, labor, and material the custodian expends to process court requests.
Court Record Fees
- Self-service plain copies: 50 cents per page
- Staff-assisted plain copies: $1 per page
- Conformed copy: $5 per. document plus copy fee
- Certification: $10 per document plus copy fee
Online Record Fees
- Daily access: $10
- Monthly subscription: $25 per user
- Yearly subscription: $300 per user
- Criminal, civil, traffic, and family downloads: $1 per printed page or $10 per minute entry
- Property and land records: $1 per printed page
Vital Record Fees
- Certified marriage license: $5 per copy
- Birth certificate: $34 per copy
- Death certificate: $26 per copy
Lafayette Parish Courthouse Locations
Lafayette Parish shares the 15th Judicial District of Louisiana with Acadia and Vermillion parishes. Apart from its branch of the judicial District Court, it hosts a local court for the City of Lafayette and Mayor's or Magistrate Courts for the smaller municipalities.
The District Court is the primary trial court where major civil litigation, domestic relations, felony prosecutions, and probate matters are decided. The municipal courts exercise limited jurisdiction over small claims, traffic infractions, and municipal offenses. Justice of the Peace courts also exist to handle minor civil disputes in certain rural wards, although they have no dedicated courthouse address.
Here are the addresses and contact details for the courts in Lafayette Parish:
15th Judicial District Court (Lafayette Parish Courthouse)
800 South Buchanan Street
Lafayette, LA 70501
Phone: (337) 291-6400
Municipal Courts
Lafayette City Court
105 East Convent Street
Lafayette, LA 70501
Phone: (337) 291-8735
Broussard Magistrate Court
Broussard Police Department
5801 Highway 90 East
Broussard, LA 70518
Phone: (337) 837-6259
Carencro Mayor's Court
Carencro City Hall
210 East St. Peter Street
Carencro, LA 70520
Phone: (337) 896-6132
Duson Mayor's Court
498 Toby Mouton Road
P.O. Box 10
Duson, LA 70529
Phone: (337) 873-6754
Scott Mayor's Court
420 Lions Club Road
Scott, LA 70583
Phone: (337) 233-1130
Youngsville Mayor's Court
Youngsville City Hall
201 Iberia Street
Youngsville, LA 70592
Phone: (337) 856-4181
Justice of the Peace Phones
Ward 1 (Scott area)
Phone: (337) 280-8443
Ward 2 (Duson/Scott area)
Phone: (337) 654-5285
Ward 4 (Youngsville area)
Phone: (337) 856-5515
Ward 5 (Broussard area)
Phone: (337) 278-4302
Ward 6 (Carencro area)
Phone: (337) 349-3866
Ward 7 (Lafayette area)
Phone: (337) 856-4303
Ward 8 (Lafayette area)
Phone: (337) 981-4639
Ward 9 (Youngsville area)
Phone: (337) 501-4440
Criminal Records Access in Lafayette Parish
An individual's history of arrests, indictments, and convictions forms their criminal record. Access to someone's record depends on whether the information needed is tied to a local criminal prosecution or a comprehensive statewide background check. An organization might want to know a person's full criminal history, while an individual inquirer might be more interested in what happened during a specific criminal case.
The Louisiana State Police (LSP) manages state-level criminal history checks through its Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Information (BCII). According to La. Rev. Stat. § 15:579 and 15:587(A)(1), the full criminal history is a closed record. However, anyone can obtain their own record from the BCII. In addition, the general public can request an individual's conviction-only history from a clerk of court, district attorney, or city prosecutor where the case occurred, as those may be disseminated without restrictions, per La. Rev. Stat. § 15:548(A).
The Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court has a criminal department that manages records related to its branch of the 15th Judicial District. Individuals can submit a criminal records request through the department's form, by email, by mail, or in person, as established previously. The public can also find dockets, minutes, and sentencing information through the Clerk's online portal. Records for minor violations and city traffic offenses are accessible through the Lafayette City Court database.
Lafayette Parish Probate Records
Lafayette Parish probate records comprise legal documents generated when the 15th Judicial District Court administers the affairs of a deceased or incapacitated person. These proceedings are known as succession and interdictions. In Louisiana, succession documents chronicle the settlement of an estate, featuring wills, asset lists, and heir distributions, while interdiction records establish guardianships or conservatorships for vulnerable people.
These documents are generally open to the public. Residents can browse unsealed succession indices and recent document images online through the court clerk's online portal. Accessing older physical files requires visiting the Civil Records department at the main courthouse. However, the court strictly restricts access to confidential cases, such as those involving minors, sensitive health information, and certain interdictions.
Lafayette Parish Family Court Records
The 15th Judicial District Court maintains exclusive jurisdiction over domestic relations and juvenile matters, which fall under the ambit of family law in Lafayette Parish. The court's dedicated family docket manages proceedings such as divorce, community property partition, spousal support, child custody, paternity, and domestic violence protective orders. Specialized judges additionally handle juvenile delinquency and Child in Need of Care (CINC) petitions.
The Clerk of Court preserves the pleadings, financial declarations, and decrees generated in these proceedings and seals records the law regards as confidential. For example, La. Child. Code art. 1107 largely limits adoption record access to the adoptive and biological families. Juvenile delinquency and CINC files are similarly shielded from indiscriminate public disclosure pursuant to La. Child. Code art. § 412.
The public can find basic family case dockets through the Clerk's online platform. Due to the state's strict restriction laws regarding family law matters, researchers who need domestic relations documents must generally access a physical record. The Clerk of Court provides access for authorized persons, who must present a valid photo ID to prove their eligibility.
Federal Court Records in Lafayette Parish
Cases often arise in Lafayette Parish that are beyond the jurisdiction of local courts. This usually means a federal case involving federal law, the U.S. Constitution, civil rights, civil diversity claims above $75,000, citizenship, or bankruptcy. Such matters are settled in federal court, specifically the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana.
Lafayette Parish shares a division of this district court with St. Martin, Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, St. Mary, St. Landry, and Vermilion parishes. Residents from these areas typically visit the courthouse below to make petitions, attend court, and use the services offered by the local Clerk's Office.
John M. Shaw United States Courthouse
800 Lafayette Street, Suite 2100
Lafayette Louisiana 70501
Phone: (337) 593-5000
Fax: (337) 593-5027
This is where to obtain certified copies of open federal case documents, but people can access plain copies through PACER, the federal court system's online case records repository. Usage requires a registered account, while searching, downloading, or printing attracts a 10-cent charge per page.
