| Clerk of Court | Orleans Parish Civil District Court Clerk — Online Records |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Civil District Court Clerk: 421 Loyola Avenue, Room 402, New Orleans, LA 70112. Criminal District Court Clerk: 2700 Tulane Avenue, Suites 104 & 210, New Orleans, LA 70119 |
| Phone | Civil District Court Clerk: (504) 407-0000; Criminal District Court Clerk: (504) 658-9000 |
| Hours | Civil District Court Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Criminal District Court Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | 1985 |
| 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 |
Orleans Parish, coextensive with the City of New Orleans, is the one parish in Louisiana where the clerk of court's job is split into two separate elected offices. The Clerk of Civil District Court keeps civil, family, and probate (succession) records for Orleans Parish Civil District Court, plus land records dating back decades. The Clerk of Criminal District Court is an entirely different office with its own building, docket, and staff, and keeps every felony and Criminal District Court record for the parish.
Both offices sell online access rather than offering it for free: the Civil Clerk's Online Records subscription and the Criminal Clerk's use of the multi-parish Clerk Connect platform each charge by the day, month, or year. Free in-person terminals are available at both courthouses. Municipal and traffic offenses within city limits go to New Orleans Municipal and Traffic Court, a third, separate system that neither clerk of court indexes.
Because Orleans splits civil and criminal records between two offices, the most common mistake is contacting the wrong clerk — a divorce or succession is a Civil District Court record, while a felony arrest or conviction is a Criminal District Court record, and each office only has its own case type.
Search Orleans Parish court records online
Clerk of Court
Orleans Parish Civil District Court Clerk — Online Records
- Cost
- $20 for 24-hour access; $100 for 30 days; $700 for 365 days; separate escrow account required to print or download images
- Coverage
- Civil, family, and probate (succession) case records for Orleans Parish Civil District Court, plus land, mortgage, and conveyance records; data entry from 1985 forward, images generally from 2010–2015 forward depending on the record type
- Records
- Civil, Family, Probate
Free public-access terminals are available in person at 421 Loyola Avenue, Room 402. This office does not have any criminal case records — those are kept by the separate Clerk of Criminal District Court.
Other courts
Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Clerk
- Coverage
- Felony and other Criminal District Court case records for Orleans Parish
- Records
- Criminal
Case lookup is available through Clerk Connect (a multi-parish platform) or in person; this office keeps no civil, family, or probate records.
What is available online
The Civil District Court Clerk's Online Records subscription covers civil suits, family cases, successions, and land records, with document data entry from 1985 and document images generally from 2005–2015 forward depending on the record type; older files may appear in the index without an attached image. The Criminal District Court Clerk's records are searched separately through Clerk Connect and cover felony and other Criminal District Court cases only. Neither office indexes New Orleans Municipal or Traffic Court, which are separate city systems.
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
Orleans Parish clerk offices
Civil District Court Clerk: 421 Loyola Avenue, Room 402, New Orleans, LA 70112. Criminal District Court Clerk: 2700 Tulane Avenue, Suites 104 & 210, New Orleans, LA 70119
Phone: Civil District Court Clerk: (504) 407-0000; Criminal District Court Clerk: (504) 658-9000
Hours: Civil District Court Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Criminal District Court Clerk: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Civil, family, and probate records. Subscribe to the Civil District Court Clerk's Online Records service, or visit 421 Loyola Avenue, Room 402, to use a free public terminal and request copies at the counter. Mail requests should include the case number or party names and year, the documents needed, whether certified copies are required, and payment or a request for a fee quote.
Criminal records. Contact the Criminal District Court Clerk at 2700 Tulane Avenue, or search through Clerk Connect. Include the case number or defendant's name and approximate arrest or filing date when requesting copies.
Municipal and traffic records. These are kept by New Orleans Municipal and Traffic Court, not by either clerk of court; contact that court directly.
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
Why does Orleans Parish have two clerks of court?
Orleans Parish is the only Louisiana parish where civil and criminal trial-court records are kept by two separate elected offices: the Clerk of Civil District Court and the Clerk of Criminal District Court. Every other parish has a single clerk of court for all case types.
Where do I find a New Orleans divorce or succession record?
With the Clerk of Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, either through its Online Records subscription or in person at 421 Loyola Avenue.
Where do I find a felony case from New Orleans?
With the Clerk of Criminal District Court, a separate office located at 2700 Tulane Avenue. Search through Clerk Connect or contact the office directly.
Are New Orleans traffic tickets part of either clerk of court's records?
No. Traffic and municipal ordinance violations are handled by New Orleans Municipal and Traffic Court, a separate city court system not indexed by either the civil or criminal clerk of court.
How much does the Civil District Court Clerk's Online Records subscription cost?
As of this writing, $20 for 24 hours, $100 for 30 days, and $700 for a year, with a separate escrow account required to print or download document images. Confirm current pricing on the clerk's website.
Sources
- Orleans Parish Civil District Court Clerk — https://www.orleanscivilclerk.com/
- Orleans Parish Civil District Court Clerk — Online Records — https://www.orleanscivilclerk.com/onlinerecords.html
- Orleans Parish Civil District Court Clerk — Hours & Locations — https://www.orleanscivilclerk.com/hours.html
- Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal District Court — https://www.orleanscriminalcourtclerk.com/
- Orleans Criminal District Court — Clerk of Court — https://www.criminalcourt.org/clerk-of-court.html
- Clerk Connect — Multi-Parish Clerk of Court Online Access — https://clerkconnect.com/
- 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.