Search LaSalle Parish Court Records
LaSalle Parish does not provide a broad free online District Court case search like the large-parish case portals used in some other parts of Louisiana. The main record path is the LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court, which is the local custodian for the Twenty-Eighth Judicial District Court filings. That office handles civil suits, criminal case papers, divorce decrees, succession filings, judgments, marriage records, certified copies, and many recorded instruments.
The 28th JDC court calendar is useful for schedule awareness, but the court warns that docket data can change without notice. Direct notice from the judge's office or the Clerk is treated as official. For land and marriage index searches, the Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority offers an online account path. That service should not be treated as a complete LaSalle Parish court case portal.
- Identify whether the record is civil, criminal, divorce, succession, marriage, traffic, land, UCC, or a Sheriff record.
- Gather the party name, case number if known, filing date range, and whether a certified copy is needed.
- Contact the LaSalle Parish Clerk for District Court, marriage, divorce, succession, judgment, and certified-copy requests.
- Use LCRAA for land and marriage indexes, but expect account sign-in and possible limits on deeper images.
- Use the Sheriff, JP directory, municipal court, OMV, or federal court only when the record type belongs outside the Clerk's District Court file.
LaSalle Parish Court Search Fields
The local online record options are narrow, so the most useful search fields come from the Clerk contact channel, LCRAA login screen, and the posted court calendar. A requester should be ready to supply more detail than a simple name search. For mailed or phone requests, the Clerk may need enough facts to distinguish people with similar names and to quote search, copy, certification, or filing costs.
| Channel | Field or Detail | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clerk request | Party name and case number | District Court case lookup | Use full names, middle names, and approximate dates when possible. |
| Clerk contact form | Name, email, subject, message | General record questions | The official form marks name, email, subject, and message as required. |
| LCRAA | User name and password | Land and marriage index access | The public page shows login, sign up, forgot password, and browser notice fields. |
| 28th JDC calendar | Weekly court docket and notices | Schedule awareness | The page says proceedings begin at 9:30 a.m. unless otherwise scheduled. |
| JP directory | Title, parish, region | Lower-court contact lookup | Results list names, position, region, parish, jurisdiction, and phone. |
According to the official 28th Judicial District Court home page, LaSalle Parish is served by a single-member judicial district. That local structure makes the Clerk channel especially important because many parish-level records route to the same courthouse address.
The court site supplies the local court identity, judge, court status links, contact block, and history that help confirm the correct LaSalle Parish record office.
LaSalle Parish Judicial System
Louisiana's court system starts with the Louisiana Supreme Court, moves through five courts of appeal, and uses district courts as the main trial courts of general jurisdiction. LaSalle Parish belongs to the Louisiana Court of Appeal, Third Circuit, and its parish trial court is the Twenty-Eighth Judicial District Court. The 28th JDC covers all of LaSalle Parish rather than sharing a multi-parish district.
The state judicial branch overview notes that Louisiana has district courts, city courts, parish courts, and family or juvenile courts in addition to appellate courts. In LaSalle Parish, local District Court matters, civil filings, felony criminal cases, divorce cases, succession proceedings, and many judgments are tied to the Clerk of Court in Jena. Lower-level justice of the peace, mayor's, or municipal matters may be separate when a citation or small case names one of those venues.
Case flow: Justice of the Peace or Municipal Court, when applicable, > Twenty-Eighth Judicial District Court > Louisiana Court of Appeal, Third Circuit > Louisiana Supreme Court.
| Court or Office | Role in LaSalle Parish | Record Path |
|---|---|---|
| Twenty-Eighth Judicial District Court | General jurisdiction trial court for LaSalle Parish | Case files and certified copies through the Clerk of Court. |
| Justice of the Peace Court | Limited local matters by district | Use the Louisiana Attorney General directory to identify the official. |
| Mayor's or Municipal Court | Local ordinance and traffic matters where a municipality maintains one | Check the citation or town office named on the ticket. |
| Louisiana Third Circuit | Intermediate appellate court for LaSalle Parish judgments | Appeal records use Third Circuit procedures and filings. |
LaSalle Parish Courthouse Offices
The central courthouse access point is 1050 Courthouse Street in Jena. The 28th JDC lists Room 4 at that address, with a mailing address of Post Office Box 1890, Jena, Louisiana 71342. The Clerk of Court lists the same street address and a mailing address of PO Box 1316. The Sheriff's Jena office also uses 1050 Courthouse Street and PO Box 70.
This shared courthouse location matters for record access. A person may need the Clerk for filed court papers, the judge's office for docket or hearing notice questions, and the Sheriff for jail, bond, public-records, or arrest-related information. Calling the right office first saves repeat trips.
Twenty-Eighth Judicial District Court
1050 Courthouse Street, Room 4
PO Box 1890
Jena, LA 71342
(318) 992-2002
LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court
1050 Courthouse Street
PO Box 1316
Jena, LA 71342
(318) 992-2158
LaSalle Parish Sheriff's Office
1050 Courthouse Street
PO Box 70
Jena, LA 71342
(318) 992-2151
LaSalle Parish Court Record Types
LaSalle Parish court records include more than one kind of file. Civil records can include petitions, answers, service returns, motions, orders, judgments, and copy requests. Criminal court records can include bills of information, arraignment minutes, bond orders, pleas, motions, verdicts, sentences, probation orders, and expungement filings. Family files can include divorce pleadings, judgments, custody or support orders, and protected attachments that may be sealed or redacted.
Marriage records and succession records are also local Clerk functions. Marriage certificates for all Louisiana parishes except Orleans are obtained from the parish Clerk where the marriage occurred. Succession, which is Louisiana's probate process, is filed in District Court through the Clerk. Traffic records may be split among District Court, JP or municipal court, a Sheriff payment channel, and the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles.
- Civil records include suits, answers, motions, orders, judgments, and service-related filings.
- Criminal court records track charges after filing, hearings, pleas, dispositions, sentences, and expungement papers.
- Marriage and divorce records route through the Clerk, while LDH says it cannot issue divorce decrees.
- Succession records cover wills, affidavits, petitions, inventories, orders, and judgments of possession.
- Traffic records may sit with the issuing court, nCourt payment channel, Sheriff, or OMV depending on the issue.
The Louisiana.gov LaSalle Parish profile helps confirm the parish context, including Jena as the parish seat and local government links.
That state profile is useful when separating parish-level court records from statewide services such as OMV driver records or Louisiana vital-record pointers.
What LaSalle Parish Court Records Show
A LaSalle Parish District Court file can show the case number or docket number, court name, filing date, document titles, parties, attorneys, judge, hearing settings, minute entries, orders, judgments, financial items, copy certifications, and access restrictions. Criminal files can also show bond orders, pleas, sentence terms, and probation orders. Succession files can show heirs, legatees, executors, administrators, tutors, curators, inventories, and judgments of possession.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case or docket number | The court's tracking number, if known or assigned. |
| Parties | Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, decedent, heirs, attorneys, or state and defendant. |
| Docket or minute entries | Filings, service, continuances, hearings, pleas, orders, sentences, warrants, recalls, or appeals. |
| Financial fields | Filing costs, service costs, fines, court costs, bond, restitution, jury bond, or copy fees. |
| Disposition | The outcome of a claim, charge, motion, succession issue, or judgment. |
| Restrictions | Sealed, expunged, juvenile, minor, medical, protected-address, or investigative limits. |
LaSalle Parish Court Access Laws
Louisiana public-records law favors access, but the first step is identifying the custodian. District Court, divorce, succession, criminal case, marriage, and certified-copy records usually start with the LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court. Sheriff arrest, jail, bond, and public-records matters go to the Sheriff's Office. Lower-court records may require the JP, constable, or municipality named in the case or citation.
Key Statutes:
Louisiana Constitution art. XII, Section 3 gives a right to examine public documents unless law creates an exception.
La. R.S. 44:1 defines public records broadly, including electronic information used for public business.
La. R.S. 44:31 allows adults to inspect, copy, or reproduce public records unless another law limits access.
La. R.S. 44:3 restricts some criminal investigative records while making certain items, such as booking records and bills of information, public.
Access is not the same as free online access. A public record may require a Clerk search, a copy charge, a certified-copy fee, redaction review, or a request to a different custodian. The Clerk's posted price page lists a $20 search fee, certified copies at $5 plus $1 per page, and plain Xerox copies at $2.
Restricted LaSalle Parish Court Records
Some court records are not open to general public inspection. Louisiana Children's Code art. 412 makes juvenile court records and reports confidential except as authorized. Expungement under La. C.Cr.P. art. 971 removes eligible records from public access but does not destroy them. Sealed records, adoption files, mental-health materials, interdiction documents, financial identifiers, minor names, protected addresses, victim information, and ongoing investigative records may be withheld or redacted.
For LaSalle Parish expungement matters, Louisiana State Police directs applicants to file forms and required documentation with the Clerk of Court in the parish of arrest or conviction. That route points back to the LaSalle Parish Clerk for local cases. Fees were not located in the official LaSalle Clerk price page, so applicants should confirm current costs before filing.
Note: A sealed or expunged record may still be available to law-enforcement or criminal-justice agencies when Louisiana law allows it.
LaSalle Parish Sheriff Records
The LaSalle Parish Sheriff's Office adds a separate record channel for inmate status, arrest-related requests, bonds, public-records emails, tips, sex offender mapping, most-wanted notices, fine payments, and civil office questions. The official app identifies Sheriff Lane Windham and lists the Jena office at the courthouse address. It also lists an Olla substation at 3719 Highway 165 N.
The Sheriff's app and site include an Inmate Search feature. The official inmate data showed name, inmate ID, physical descriptors, booked date, VINE or site IDs, agency ID, and custody status. It did not show charges, bond, court date, housing location, release date, warrant number, judge, or booking photo in the inspected JSON. For court charges after an arrest, the Clerk, DA filing, or Records & Bonds channel may be needed.
The LaSalle Parish Sheriff's Office home page presents the official app-powered public-safety portal.
That Sheriff channel is most useful for current custody, contact directories, public-records emails, tips, most wanted, and payment links, while filed criminal case records remain a court and Clerk matter.
LaSalle Parish Warrants and Traffic
No active online LaSalle Parish warrant list was found in the official Sheriff site or app materials. The Sheriff app has a Most Wanted feature, but the inspected feed said to check back later for updates. Practical warrant checks use Records & Bonds at 318-992-6976, Criminal Matters or Detectives at 318-992-0693, the jail phone for custody questions, the Clerk for bench warrants or capias entries tied to a District Court case, and the JP or municipality when a lower-court matter is involved.
Traffic records also split by function. The Sheriff app links to an official nCourt traffic and fine payment page and lists a Pay Fines & Court Costs phone number of 877-793-7141. A payment record is not the same as a court file, and a court traffic record is not the same as a Louisiana OMV driver record. DWI and serious traffic misdemeanors may route into the criminal case system.
| Record | Likely Holder | What to Confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Bench warrant or capias | District Court or issuing lower court | Case number, bond, recall process, next court date. |
| Arrest warrant | Sheriff, court, or other issuing agency | Status, bond, issuing court, and surrender instructions. |
| Traffic citation | Issuing court, JP, municipality, or nCourt for payment | Whether payment is allowed, whether contesting requires appearance. |
| Driver record | Louisiana OMV | License status, suspensions, reinstatement, and reported convictions. |
LaSalle Parish Marriage and Succession
Marriage certificates for LaSalle Parish are obtained from the Clerk of Court when the marriage occurred in the parish. The Louisiana Department of Health says marriage records for all parishes except Orleans route to the parish Clerk. LDH also states that it cannot issue certified copies of divorce decrees, so a LaSalle divorce decree request goes to the Clerk where the divorce was granted.
Louisiana probate is called succession. In LaSalle Parish, succession matters are filed in the District Court through the Clerk rather than a separate probate court. Small successions are important locally because the Clerk's posted price page gives a half-cost note for pleadings only when the estate value is less than $125,000, and La. C.C.P. art. 3421 defines small succession rules.
- Succession
- Louisiana's court process for transferring a deceased person's property.
- Executor
- The person named to carry out a will, when one exists and is accepted by the court.
- Judgment of possession
- A succession judgment placing heirs or legatees into legal possession of property.
- Certified copy
- A Clerk-authenticated copy often needed for banks, titles, court use, or property transfers.
LaSalle Parish Court Record Fees
The LaSalle Parish Clerk price page lists many filing, copy, recording, and UCC charges. Civil filing costs can change with the number of defendants, service locations, extra parties, jury demands, page count, and certification needs. For exact filing quotes, the Clerk should be contacted before mailing a request or appearing at the counter.
| Item | Official posted amount or note |
|---|---|
| New civil suit | $400 for one defendant, plus $75 each additional defendant. |
| Pleading first page | $6. |
| Pleading each additional page | $4. |
| Search fee | $20. |
| Certified copies | $5 plus $1 per page. |
| Xerox copies | $2. |
| Conformed copies | $3. |
| Fax receive / send | $5 receive, $15 send. |
| Small successions | Half cost for pleadings only when estate value is less than $125,000. |
Federal Records for LaSalle Parish
Federal court records are outside the LaSalle Parish Clerk's system. LaSalle Parish is in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, and the federal court locations page lists the Alexandria courthouse as serving LaSalle along with Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, Natchitoches, Rapides, and Winn parishes. Federal bankruptcy cases route to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana and use CM/ECF rather than parish Clerk indexing.
The Western District court locations page identifies the Alexandria federal courthouse service area for LaSalle Parish.
Federal filings such as federal criminal prosecutions, civil rights cases, habeas matters, bankruptcy cases, and federal appeals should be searched through federal systems, not the local parish courthouse.
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana is the main federal trial-court site for the region.
For federal bankruptcy matters, the live bankruptcy filing database is separate from local District Court and Clerk of Court records.
The federal district statute lists La Salle in the Western District of Louisiana.
That statute confirms why LaSalle Parish federal cases are searched in the Western District rather than a parish court records office.
LaSalle Parish Court History
The official court history says LaSalle Parish was created in 1910 from the western section of Catahoula Parish and named for Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de LaSalle. Jena is the parish seat. The court describes the 28th JDC as a single-member judicial district composed of all of LaSalle Parish, with Judge J. Christopher Peters serving as the tenth judge in parish history after taking the bench on January 1, 2009.
Recent official updates show why direct court notice matters. The court retained COVID-era closure links, posted an inclement-weather closure for September 11, 2024, and used the juror page to release summoned jurors for the week of June 22, 2026. The court also publishes video conference procedures when all parties agree and the required device details are supplied.
The LaSalle Parish Sheriff news digest includes courthouse security and public-safety notices that can affect visits for court records or hearings.
Because the courthouse prohibited-items notice was published as an image-based news item, visitors should confirm current entry rules with the court, Clerk, or Sheriff before bringing bags or tools inside.
LaSalle Parish Court Records FAQ
Can I search all LaSalle Parish court records online?
No single free official portal was found for all LaSalle Parish District Court case files. The practical search path starts with the Clerk of Court for case files and certified copies, uses LCRAA for land and marriage indexes, and uses the court calendar only for schedule awareness.
Who has LaSalle Parish divorce decrees?
The LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court is the local source for divorce decrees granted in the parish. Louisiana Department of Health says it cannot issue certified copies of divorce decrees.
Does the Sheriff inmate roster show charges?
The inspected official Sheriff inmate data did not show charges, bond, court date, housing location, release date, or judge. It showed identifying and custody fields, so charge details may require the Clerk, Records & Bonds, or DA-related court filing.
Where do bench warrants show up?
A bench warrant or capias tied to a missed District Court date can appear in the court case file or minute entries. JP or municipal warrants may stay with the issuing lower court.
Are juvenile records public in LaSalle Parish?
Juvenile court records and reports are confidential under Louisiana Children's Code art. 412 except where law authorizes access. Do not expect a public juvenile case search.