| Clerk of Court | Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court — Online Records (ClerkConnect) |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court, 800 S. Buchanan St., Lafayette, LA 70501 |
| Phone | (337) 291-6400 (main); (337) 291-6316 (Civil); (337) 291-6329 (Criminal) |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $1.00 per page (statutory maximum for district-court clerks under R.S. 13:841; a clerk may charge less) |
| Certified copy fee | $5.00 certification fee per copy under R.S. 13:841, on top of the $1.00 per-page copy charge; several parish clerks (for example Livingston and Tangipahoa) post $10.00, so check the parish schedule |
Lafayette Parish, the hub of Acadiana in south-central Louisiana, keeps its 15th Judicial District Court records with the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court. The office runs two separate online systems: a ClerkConnect-based Court Records subscription for unsealed civil, probate, criminal, and traffic case information, and a separate eSearch platform for mortgage, conveyance, and UCC land records with document images going back to 1935.
Smaller civil claims, misdemeanors, and traffic matters within the city limits go to the City Court of Lafayette, a separate office with its own free online case search that does not include felony cases — those stay with the 15th Judicial District Court. The clerk of court and the city court are two different offices with two different systems, so a search of one will not turn up the other's cases.
Neither the clerk of court's Court Records subscription nor the City Court of Lafayette's case search is part of any statewide Louisiana portal; each is specific to Lafayette Parish.
Search Lafayette Parish court records online
Clerk of Court
Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court — Online Records (ClerkConnect)
- Cost
- Certified copies $10.00 plus $1.00/page copy fee; subscription pricing for full account access is listed on the clerk's fees page
- Coverage
- Unsealed civil and probate case information, plus criminal and traffic case data (offense date, charges, history, minutes, and disposition) for the 15th Judicial District Court
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Probate, Traffic
Land records (mortgage, conveyance, UCC) are searched separately through the clerk's eSearch platform, not the Court Records subscription; document images there go back to January 1, 1935.
Other courts
City Court of Lafayette — Case Search
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Civil, criminal, juvenile, and traffic cases filed in the City Court of Lafayette
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Felony cases filed in the 15th Judicial District Court are not included in this search; search by defendant name or case number.
What is available online
The Court Records subscription covers unsealed civil, probate, criminal, and traffic case information for the 15th Judicial District Court. Land records (mortgage, conveyance, and UCC filings) are a separate eSearch system with document images from 1935 forward. The City Court of Lafayette's free case search covers only cases filed in that court — smaller civil claims, misdemeanors, and traffic tickets within city limits — and does not include felony cases from the district court.
Which clerk has your record
In Louisiana, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Louisiana page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| District Courts | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other domestic matters; Civil suits above the district court's minimum amount in dispute | Clerk of Court of the parish (in Orleans Parish, the Clerk of Civil District Court for civil/family/probate and the Clerk of Criminal District Court for criminal cases) |
| Family and Juvenile Courts | Divorce, custody, and child support (where a standalone family court exists); Juvenile delinquency and child-in-need-of-care cases | Clerk of the Family or Juvenile Court, or the parish clerk of court where no separate court exists |
| City Courts and Parish Courts | Civil suits up to the court's jurisdictional limit (commonly $35,000–$50,000); Misdemeanors and municipal ordinance violations within city limits; Small claims and traffic tickets | Clerk of the individual city or parish court |
| Justice of the Peace and Mayor's Courts | Small claims and minor civil disputes outside city limits; Municipal ordinance violations in towns without a city court | Justice of the peace or mayor's-court clerk for that ward or municipality |
Request records in person or by mail
Lafayette Parish clerk offices
Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court, 800 S. Buchanan St., Lafayette, LA 70501
Phone: (337) 291-6400 (main); (337) 291-6316 (Civil); (337) 291-6329 (Criminal)
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
District-court records (15th JDC). Create an account for the Court Records subscription through the clerk of court's website, or contact the relevant division (Civil, Criminal, or Land Records) directly for copies; the Civil Department can be reached at (337) 291-6316 and the Criminal Department at (337) 291-6329. Include the case number or party names and year, the documents needed, and whether a certified copy is required.
City Court of Lafayette records. Use the free online case search for a quick docket check, or contact the city court directly at 105 East Convent Street for copies.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $1.00 per page (statutory maximum for district-court clerks under R.S. 13:841; a clerk may charge less) |
| Certified copy | $5.00 certification fee per copy under R.S. 13:841, on top of the $1.00 per-page copy charge; several parish clerks (for example Livingston and Tangipahoa) post $10.00, so check the parish schedule |
R.S. 13:841 sets the ceiling for district-court clerk fees in civil matters — copies $1.00 per page, certification of a copy $5.00, conformed copies $3.00 — and says each clerk's fee "may be less than, but shall not exceed" those amounts. In practice most parish clerks charge the full $1.00 per page; the certification fee varies from $5.00 to $10.00 by parish, and criminal-side copy fees are set separately. Many clerks also charge for a ClerkConnect or eSearch subscription to view records remotely. Confirm the current fee with the specific parish clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Louisiana's Public Records Law (Revised Statutes Title 44) presumes public records — including most court filings — are open, and R.S. 44:31 gives any adult the right to inspect, copy, or reproduce a public record unless a specific law says otherwise. Several categories are removed from public view:
The Louisiana guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
How do I search a Lafayette Parish court case?
For district-court civil, probate, criminal, or traffic cases, use the clerk of court's Court Records subscription. For smaller civil, misdemeanor, or traffic cases within the city, use the City Court of Lafayette's free case search instead.
Is the City Court of Lafayette case search free?
Yes. It lets you search by defendant name or case number at no charge, but it only covers cases filed in the City Court of Lafayette, not felony cases from the 15th Judicial District Court.
What does a certified copy cost at the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court?
As of this writing, $10.00 plus a $1.00-per-page copy fee. Call the clerk's office to confirm the current fee before sending payment.
How far back do Lafayette Parish land records go online?
The clerk's eSearch platform shows document images for mortgage, conveyance, and UCC records dating back to January 1, 1935. Court case records are on a separate system with different coverage.
Sources
- Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court — https://www.lpclerk.com/
- Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court — Online Records — https://www.lpclerk.com/online-records
- Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court — Department Directory — https://www.lpclerk.com/department-directory
- Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court — Office Hours and Holidays — https://www.lpclerk.com/office-hours-and-holidays
- Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court — Fees — https://www.lpclerk.com/fees
- City Court of Lafayette — Case Search — https://www.citycourtlafayettela.org/CaseSearch.aspx
- Louisiana Supreme Court — Judicial Branch overview — https://www.lasc.org/
- Louisiana Supreme Court Case Search — https://www.lasc.org/Search
- Louisiana State Police — Bureau of Criminal Identification & Information — https://lsp.org/about/leadershipsections/support/bcii/fingerprints-and-background-checks/
- eClerks LA — Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority — https://www.eclerksla.com/about/statewideportal
- re:SearchLA — https://researchla.tylerhost.net/CourtRecordsSearch/Home
- Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 971 — Expungement, legislative findings — https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=919662
- Louisiana Revised Statutes 44:31 — Right to examine records — https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=99688
- Louisiana Revised Statutes 13:841 — Enumeration of fees in civil matters — https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=78097
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana — https://www.laed.uscourts.gov/
- PACER — Federal court records — https://pacer.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Louisiana counties.