St. Landry Parish, Louisiana State Court Records
St. Landry Parish court records are official documents created during legal proceedings within the various local courts in St. Landry Parish, LA. These documents include case files on civil, criminal, traffic, family law, and probate trials.
St. Landry Parish court records intersect with the parish's other public records. This includes law enforcement records, which lay the foundation for local criminal trials, and vital records, such as birth, divorce, and death certificates that directly impact family law and probate adjudications.
The St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Office serves as the official custodian of the parish's court records. In addition to maintaining these documents, the Clerk of Court Office provides access to them in compliance with Louisiana laws.
Are St. Landry Parish Court Records Public?
Yes, court records are publicly accessible in St. Landry Parish. Article XII, Section 3 of the Louisiana Constitution and Title 44, Section 1 et seq. of the Louisiana Revised Statutes (Louisiana Public Records Law) grant individuals the right to access St Landry Parish court records and other documents generated by the state's public agencies.
Although Louisiana permits public disclosure of most of its court records, the state balances transparency with individuals' constitutional rights by restricting public scrutiny of certain records. Consequently, unauthorized entities cannot access:
- Expunged court records
- Juvenile court records
- Involuntary mental health commitment records
- Adoption records
- Grand jury proceedings
- Court records sealed by judicial orders
- Active criminal investigation files.
What Information is Available in St. Landry Parish Court Records?
St. Landry Parish court records provide publicly accessible details about legal proceedings in the parish's courts. The specific case type determines the exact content of a court record. Nonetheless, the following list outlines some of the information contained in a St. Landry Parish court record.
General case information and filings
- Names and contact details of the litigants
- Filing date
- Case or docket number
- Case pleadings, motions, petitions, and legal briefs
- Hearing transcript, trial schedules, and case minutes
- Judicial rulings, final judgment, and sentencing orders
Criminal and traffic court records
- Criminal charges, arrest details, and summonses
- Bail amounts, bond details, and traffic citations.
Family and domestic relations court records
- Marriage licenses, divorce decrees, and child custody agreements
Probate and estate records
- Probate filings, last wills, and estate inventories
Property and land records
- Property deeds, land transfers, and mortgage records.
St. Landry Parish Court Records Search
In St. Landry Parish, the local Clerk of Court Office is the official recordkeeper of the parish's court records. The St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court provides several routes for the public to access these documents. Record seekers may access St. Landry Parish court records using any of the following pathways.
Online access
To access St. Landry Parish's court records online, register and log in to the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court ClerkConnect. Users may make paid searches for various types of publicly accessible case records. Requesters should note that access to court records through the St. Landry Parish ClerkConnect portal requires a daily, monthly, or annual subscription.
In-person access
To access St. Landry Parish's court records in person, visit the St. Landry Clerk of Court Office between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays on work days at:
St. Landry Parish Courthouse Courts Division
Ist Floor, Suite 121,
118 South Court Street,
Opelousas,
LA 70570.
Court records are also accessible through Public Access Terminals in the courthouse lobby.
Mail and phone requests
Information seekers may call the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court and inquire about court records. The St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Office is reachable through the following lines:
- (337) 942-5606 Ext. 5113 (Court Division)
- (337) 942-5606 Ext. 5151 (Archives and Research)
- (337) 948-1653 (fax).
Alternatively, interested parties should mail their requests to:
St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court
Attn: Courts Division
P.O. Box 750,
Opelousas,
LA 70571.
A mail request for copies of a St. Landry Parish court record should include:
- The case name
- Docket number (if available)
- The approximate filing date
- The specific document title
- A self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage
- The requester's contact phone number.
Additionally, payment should be made by money order, cashier's check, or official business check payable to the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court. Depending on search complexity and staff workload, the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Office takes 5 to 10 business days to process mail-in requests for court records.
Fees for Court Records in St. Landry Parish
The cost of obtaining physical copies of a St. Landry Parish's court record depends on the access method. While the Louisiana Public Records Law guarantees free viewing of government records (including St. Landry Parish's court records), custodian agencies charge fees to cover the administrative costs associated with producing physical copies. The St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Office charges the following fees for copies of court records:
In-person request
- Standardcopies - $1.00 per page
- Certified copies - $1.00 per page plus a $10.00 certification fee
- Conformed copies - $1.00 per page plus an additional $5.00
Online access
Individuals may also download uncertified copies of St. Landry Parish court records through the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court's ClerkConnect portal. Typically, copies of St. Landry Parish's court records cost $1.00 per page. However, users need to subscribe to access the ClerkConnect portal. The St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Office charges the following subscription fees for its ClerkConnect portal:
- 1-Day Pass - $20.00
- 30-Day Pass - $50.00
- 365-Day Pass - $600.00.
St. Landry Parish Courthouse Locations
St. Landry Parish operates a District Court, two City Courts, multiple Justice Courts, and several Mayor's Courts across the county. The St. Landry District Court has Parishwide jurisdiction over civil, criminal, family, and probate cases, while the City and Justice Courts handle certain types of civil and criminal offenses within their geographical area.
In addition, some St. Landry Parish municipalities operate Mayor's Courts to handle traffic and ordinance violations. The list outlines the contact details of some of St. Landry Parish's courts.
St. Landry Parish 27th Judicial District Court
118 South Court Street,
Opelousas,
LA 70570
Phone: (337) 942-5606
Fax: (337) 948-1653
Opelousas City Court
127 East Grolee Street,
Opelousas,
LA 70570
Phone: (337) 948-2570
Fax: (337) 948-2575
Eunice City Court
300 South 2nd Street,
Eunice,
LA 70535
Phone: (337) 457-6535
Fax: (337) 457-6546
Justice of the Peace District 4
113 South Budd Street,
Sunset,
LA 70584
Phone: (337) 662-5245
Justice of the Peace District 5
476 Main Street,
Cankton,
LA 70584
Phone: (337) 308-0215, (337) 668-4310
Fax: (337) 668-4514
Justice of the Peace Court District 6
7420 Highway 93,
Arnaudville,
LA 70512
Phone: (337) 662-3919
Grand Coteau Mayor's Court
213 Burleigh Lane, PO Drawer G,
Grand Coteau,
LA 70541
Phone: (337) 662-5246
Fax: (337) 662-5701
Krotz Springs Mayor's Court
224 Main Street,
P.O. Box 218,
Krotz Springs,
LA 70750
Phone: (337) 566-2322
Fax: (337) 566-2320
Leonville Mayor's Court
3722 Highway 31,
P.O. Box 57,
Leonville,
LA 70551
Phone: (337) 879-2601
Fax: (337) 879-7922.
Note: There are other City and Mayor's Courts in St. Landry Parish.
Criminal Records Access in St. Landry Parish
In St. Landry Parish, the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information under the Department of Public Safety is the official source for criminal history records. This agency compiles criminal history reports from law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities across Louisiana and makes them available to entities and individuals who submit fingerprint-based requests through the Louisiana Applicant Processing System (LAPS) or approved vendors.
While local criminal courts such as the St. Landry 27th Judicial District Court and City Courts do not maintain official criminal history reports, individuals may obtain case records through local clerk's offices. Individuals seeking access to St. Landry Parish's criminal court records should log in to the St. Landry Parish ClerkConnect portal or contact the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Office Courts Division at the St. Landry Parish Courthouse:
118 South Court Street, Suite 121,
Opelousas,
LA 70570
Phone: (337) 942-5606 Ext. 5113.
For records related to misdemeanors or traffic violations, contact the court that handled the specific case.
St. Landry Parish Family Court Records
In St. Landry Parish, the 27th Judicial District Court handles family-related cases. These include, but are not limited to matters related to:
- Divorce
- Child custody disputes
- Adoption
- Spousal support
- Paternity actions.
While Louisiana mandates public access to most court records, access depends on the specific case types. For instance, unless the documents are sealed, Louisiana permits individuals to access case files on:
- Divorce proceedings
- Child custody and visitation disputes
- Child support and spousal support orders
- Paternity suits once the case is final (unless the file is sealed).
In contrast, there is restricted access to adoption records, child protective services and dependency matters, sealed financial details, and medical records.
Record seekers may download uncertified copies of St. Landry Parish's public family court records through the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Office ClerkConnect portal. However, access to certified copies of family court records requires a formal request through the St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Office.
Requesters should note that regardless of the access method, payments are required for physical copies of St. Landry Parish family court records. Additionally, individuals seeking copies of confidential records must provide valid government-issued photo IDs.
Federal Court Records in St. Landry Parish
Federal court records are official documents created during legal trials within United States federal courts. These include documents generated by the U.S. District Courts, U.S. Bankruptcy Courts, federal Courts of Appeals, and specialized federal courts, such as:
- Financial, Tax, and Property Courts
- Trade, Commerce, and Intellectual Property Courts
- Military and Veterans Courts
- Intelligence and Security Courts.
Access to United States federal court records is through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) portal. PACER users may review dockets, opinions, judgments, and other documents generated by federal courts, including those by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana (Lafayette Division), which handles federal cases originating from St. Landry Parish.
