Find Civil Court Records in LaPlace

LaPlace civil court records are filed through the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court and handled by the 40th Judicial District Court. LaPlace is an unincorporated community with no separate city court, so all civil filings go through the parish system. The Eastbank clerk's office is located right in LaPlace on Cambridge Drive. You can search records online through the clerk's Civil and Criminal Inquiry portal, use the free eClerks LA index, or visit in person during business hours.

Which Court Handles LaPlace Civil Cases

LaPlace is an unincorporated community in St. John the Baptist Parish on the east bank of the Mississippi River. Because LaPlace has no city charter or incorporated status, there is no LaPlace city court. All civil cases involving LaPlace residents or property in the area are handled by the 40th Judicial District Court, which covers all of St. John the Baptist Parish.

The St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court is the official keeper of those civil records. The Eastbank office is at 1020 Cambridge Drive in LaPlace, which means residents do not have to travel far to access their own court records. There is also a Westbank office in Edgard at 2393 Highway 18 for residents on the other side of the river. For LaPlace civil matters, the Cambridge Drive office is the right location.

The clerk's website notes, "Welcome to the official website of the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court, the government agency that is the keeper of official records." The office collects fees for its services and does not receive ad valorem taxes. As the clerk states, "The Clerk of Court collects fees for the service that is provided. The Clerk's Office does not receive any funding or ad valorem taxes." Inspecting records in person is always free under state law, but copies and searches have fees attached.

Felicia C. Feist was sworn in as clerk on June 30, 2024, becoming, as the office notes, "the first African-American elected to the position." She brought new leadership to an office that serves one of the faster-growing parishes in Louisiana. The office offers Civil and Criminal Inquiry online access and an E-Filing option for civil documents.

Justice of the Peace courts also serve the LaPlace area for very small matters. District 4 is at 100 Lane A in LaPlace, District 5 at 153 West 5th Street, District 6 at 2237 Williamsburg Drive, and District 7 at 366 Shadow Lane. For any standard civil matter, though, the 40th Judicial District Court is the proper forum.

St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court

Felicia C. Feist serves as the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court, sworn in June 30, 2024. The clerk's Eastbank office is at 1020 Cambridge Drive in LaPlace, where most civil record requests for LaPlace residents are handled. The Westbank office in Edgard is at 2393 Highway 18. Both offices can handle civil filings and record requests. Fax lines are available for certain request types: civil fax is (985) 497-3972 and criminal fax is (985) 497-6941.

The office is clear that forms on its website are not legal advice. "Forms are offered as a convenience and are only intended as samples. The Clerk's office in no way may provide legal advice." If you have questions about how to file a civil matter, consult an attorney rather than relying solely on the forms provided.

Note that the office closes at 4:00 PM, not 4:30 PM like many other Louisiana parish clerk offices. Plan your visit accordingly. Mail goes to P.O. Box 280, Edgard, LA 70049, not to the LaPlace office address.

How to Search LaPlace Civil Court Records

The St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk offers online civil and criminal record searches through the Civil and Criminal Inquiry portal on the clerk's website at sjbparishclerk.gov. This portal allows you to look up cases from your computer without visiting the office. It is useful for basic case lookups and confirming case status. Civil E-Filing is also available for attorneys who need to submit documents electronically through a third-party e-filing system.

eClerks LA provides free civil record index searches covering LaPlace cases filed with the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court.

eClerks LA at eclerksla.com is the free statewide index portal that covers all 64 Louisiana parishes. It requires no account for basic searches. Use it to find case numbers or confirm that a civil case exists before requesting documents or paying for access through a subscription portal.

For in-person searches, go to the Eastbank office at 1020 Cambridge Drive in LaPlace. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. That 4:00 PM close time is worth keeping in mind. Staff can look up cases by name or case number. Inspecting records is free. Copies have a fee. Call (985) 652-8041 to confirm current copy rates before you visit.

Mail requests are accepted at the mailing address P.O. Box 280, Edgard, LA 70049. Include the party names or case number, the type of document you need, and payment. Add a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want copies returned by mail. Under the Louisiana Public Records Act, La. R.S. 44:1-41, inspection alone is always free.

Civil Court Records for LaPlace Residents

All civil cases for LaPlace residents go through the 40th Judicial District Court in St. John the Baptist Parish. Civil case types include personal injury suits, contract disputes, property matters, mortgage foreclosures, debt collection actions, successions, and family law cases such as divorce, custody, and child support. The Clerk of Court keeps all the documents from each case: the original petition, all pleadings and motions, court orders, and the final judgment.

Civil records in St. John the Baptist Parish are public records under Louisiana law. Anyone can request access to a case file at no charge for in-person inspection. You do not need to be a party to the case. You do not need to provide a reason for your request. The only exceptions are sealed records, adoption files, and certain restricted records. Everything else is open.

Land records are also kept by the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk. Property conveyances, mortgages, and liens on LaPlace real estate are recorded with the clerk and are public records. If you are doing a property title search in LaPlace, this office has the records you need.

St. John the Baptist Parish spans both banks of the Mississippi River. LaPlace, on the east bank, is the most populated area of the parish. Most civil filings for this community come through the Eastbank office on Cambridge Drive, which makes access relatively convenient for LaPlace residents. The records office is right in the community it serves. Note that subscriptions through any online portal issued by this office carry a no-refund policy, so confirm that you need the service before purchasing.

Nearby Cities

LaPlace is along the River Road corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. These nearby qualifying cities also have civil court record pages.