Search New Orleans Civil Court Records

New Orleans civil court records are maintained by the Orleans Parish Clerk of Court and cover filings at the Civil District Court, First City Court, and Second City Court. The clerk's office serves as the official custodian of all civil case documents in Orleans Parish, including personal injury suits, contract disputes, successions, foreclosures, and eviction cases. You can search records online through the Orleans Civil Clerk website, visit the courthouse in person at 421 Loyola Avenue, or submit a written request by mail.

Orleans Parish Handles Civil Filings

Civil court cases in New Orleans are filed at the parish level. Orleans Parish maintains all civil case records through the Civil District Court and the city courts. The Civil District Court handles the full range of civil matters including injury claims, property disputes, successions, and foreclosures. City courts take on smaller civil claims and eviction proceedings. All records flow through the Orleans Parish clerk's office, which serves as the single point of access for case documents.

As the clerk's office describes it: "Our office consists of two divisions - Land Records and Civil. Civil Division handles personal injury, accidents, successions and foreclosures." If you are not sure which court handled a specific case, start with the Civil District Court. Most civil suits in New Orleans are filed there. Smaller money claims and landlord-tenant matters go to the city courts.

Orleans Parish Civil Clerk of Court

The Orleans Parish Civil District Court Clerk is Chelsey Richard Napoleon. The office is at 421 Loyola Avenue, Room 402, in the Civil Courts Building in downtown New Orleans. Staff can help you find case files, request copies, or check on a filing. The office also maintains the Notarial Archives Research Center, which holds documents going back to the 1700s. That archive is one of the most historically significant public record collections in the state. If you need archival civil records from early New Orleans, the research center is the place to go.

The online records portal at orleanscivilclerk.com lets you search and view civil case documents without visiting in person. Subscriptions run $20 for 24-hour access, $100 per month, or $700 per year. These are pay-to-view document subscriptions. Call the office to confirm current access options and whether a free index search is available before you pay.

How to Search New Orleans Civil Court Records

The main way to search New Orleans civil court records online is through the Orleans Civil Clerk website. The online records portal gives paid subscribers access to case documents and filings. Subscription rates are $20 for a 24-hour pass, $100 for monthly access, and $700 for an annual plan. For basic index searches, the eClerks LA statewide portal is free and covers all 64 parishes.

In person, visit the Civil Courts Building at 421 Loyola Avenue. Bring the name of at least one party in the case or the case number if you have it. Staff can pull the file and let you review it at no cost. You only pay if you want copies made. Copies run $1.00 per page for uncertified documents. Certified copies cost more. Call ahead to check current copy fees before you visit.

Mail requests are accepted for basic record searches. Send a written request with the party name, approximate filing date, and your payment to the clerk's office at 421 Loyola Avenue, Room 402. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing time depends on office volume.

Under the Louisiana Public Records Act, La. R.S. § 44:1-41, anyone can inspect civil court records at no cost. You do not need a lawyer or a special reason to look at a file. Inspection is free. Copies cost money. That rule holds across all Louisiana parishes.

The screenshot below shows the Orleans Parish Civil Clerk website, which is the main gateway for online access to New Orleans civil court records and case documents.

The online records portal at the Orleans Civil Clerk site offers paid subscription access to civil case documents and filings from New Orleans courts. Access runs $20 for 24 hours, $100 per month, or $700 per year.

Civil Court Records in New Orleans

New Orleans has three civil courts that generate public records. The Civil District Court at 421 Loyola Avenue handles the broadest range of civil cases, including personal injury, contract disputes, property matters, succession filings, and foreclosures. The First City Court, at 421 Loyola Avenue, Room 201, handles civil claims up to $25,000 and small claims up to $5,000 on the Eastbank. The Second City Court serves the Algiers area and the Westbank portion of Orleans Parish.

Each court generates its own set of records. Civil District Court records are filed with the main clerk. City court records are kept separately. "All records are open and available for public viewing and copying. No records may be removed from the office of First City Court by either attorneys or private citizens," per the court's own rules. That principle applies to all civil court records in the parish. You can look, but you cannot take originals.

One thing to know about First City Court: eviction cases cannot be filed by mail. The court does not accept mail filings for evictions. You must appear in person to file an eviction action. For other civil matters under the city court's jurisdiction, check with that specific court about filing options.

The Notarial Archives Research Center is part of the Orleans Civil Clerk office. It holds records going back to the 1700s. As the clerk's office states: "The Notarial Archives Research Center contains documents dating back to the 1700s." If you need historical property records, old succession documents, or other archival civil records from early New Orleans history, this center is where to look. The archives are open to the public during regular business hours.

Sealed records, adoption cases, and juvenile court matters are not part of the public civil record. If a judge has sealed a case or specific documents, those items are not available to the public. Most civil cases stay open. If you cannot find a case that you know was filed, it may have been sealed or filed under a different name. Ask the clerk's staff for help.

Types of civil records you can find in New Orleans include personal injury case filings and judgments, contract dispute suits, property and title disputes, succession proceedings, mortgage foreclosure actions, landlord-tenant evictions, and civil money judgments. Each record type follows the same public access rules. Inspection is free. Copies have a cost.

Nearby Cities

These cities are close to New Orleans. Each has its own page with civil court record information. Jefferson Parish courts serve Metairie, Kenner, Marrero, and Terrytown for civil filings.