Find Civil Court Records in LaSalle Parish

LaSalle Parish civil court records are filed and maintained at the Clerk of Court office in Jena, Louisiana. The Clerk is the official keeper of all civil filings, judgments, land records, and other court documents for the parish. You can search LaSalle Parish civil court records online through the eClerks LA statewide portal, visit the Jena courthouse in person, or submit a written request by mail to access civil case files and court documents.

LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court

The LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court is Steve Andrews. His office at 1050 Courthouse Street in Jena handles civil and criminal court filings for the 28th Judicial District. As the clerk's office states, "The duties of the Clerk of Court is the Parish Recorder of Deeds, Mortgages, Marriage Licenses, Civil, Criminal and Probate records." The office covers a wide range of record types, from civil suits to land transactions and marriage licenses.

The office runs on the fees it collects, not on tax money. As noted on the clerk's site, "The Clerk of Court's office operates from statutory fees it collects, not from taxes." That makes the LaSalle clerk self-sustaining. All fees are set by Louisiana law. Staff cannot give legal advice, but they can guide you to the right record or portal for what you need.

The LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court website at lasalleclerk.com has contact details and links to the eClerks LA portal for online record access.

How to Search LaSalle Parish Civil Court Records

LaSalle Parish moved its online land and civil records to the eClerks LA statewide portal in August 2022. As the clerk's office announced, "LaSalle Parish has a new Land Records site going live August 8, 2022." Before that date, access was through a different system. Now "most Louisiana Clerks have opted to move their online land records to eClerksLA," and LaSalle is among them.

The eClerks LA portal at eclerksla.com gives you free index searches for civil records, land documents, marriage records, and probate filings across all 64 Louisiana parishes. You can search by party name or document type. Results show basic case data like names, filing dates, and document types. To view images of the actual documents, you need a paid subscription.

eClerks LA at eclerksla.com is where you search LaSalle Parish civil records online. Index searches are free. Document images require a subscription.

If you need to search records in person, go to the courthouse at 1050 Courthouse Street in Jena during business hours. Staff can run searches by name or case number. Bring at least one of the following: a full party name, an approximate filing date, or a case number. That helps staff find the file quickly.

In-person record searches at the LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Bring a valid photo ID when requesting copies.

Mail requests are also accepted. Write to the P.O. Box 1316 address in Jena. Include the name of the parties, the type of record, and the approximate date range. Add payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The office will process your request in order. Processing times vary depending on how busy the staff is at the time.

Online Civil Record Access for LaSalle Parish

eClerks LA is the primary tool for online access to LaSalle Parish civil records. The Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority (LCRAA) runs this system under La. R.S. 13:754, which requires all 64 Louisiana clerks to participate. That law created a statewide framework for electronic record access that benefits both clerks and the public.

The eClerks LA system shows index data across all parishes from a single search. If you are not sure which parish a case was filed in, you can search statewide and narrow down from there. Once you find the right parish and case, you can contact the LaSalle clerk's office for certified copies or additional document images.

Under the Louisiana Public Records Act, La. R.S. § 44:1-41, anyone can inspect civil court records at no cost. You only pay for copies. The clerk charges $1.00 per page for plain copies. Certified copies cost $5.00 to $10.00 each. Mail requests must include payment.

The clerk's mission, as stated on the office website, is to "provide excellence in service, preservation and management of records." That mission covers everything from filing a new civil case to helping a member of the public find an old judgment.

Civil Court Records in LaSalle Parish

The LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court holds all civil filings from the 28th Judicial District Court. Civil cases include personal injury suits, contract disputes, property matters, debt collection actions, successions, and family law proceedings. Each case file grows as documents are added. All filings and court orders are public unless the judge seals them.

Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 251 places the duty to keep and share court records on the Clerk of Court. The clerk must hold all filed documents and make them available. You do not need to be a party in the case to request records. You do not need to give a reason. Viewing records at the office is always free under Louisiana law.

Records not open to the public include adoptions, juvenile court matters, mental health filings, and records sealed by court order. If you are unsure whether a specific record is sealed, staff can tell you. They cannot share sealed files, but they can confirm whether a record exists in the sealed category.

Note: Bring a valid photo ID when visiting the LaSalle Parish Clerk of Court in Jena to request copies of civil records.

LaSalle Parish Civil Court Record Fees

LaSalle Parish civil court record fees follow standard Louisiana copy rates set by law. The clerk charges $1.00 per page for plain uncertified copies. Certified copies cost $5.00 to $10.00 per document. Name searches run $20.00 per name. Call the office before visiting to confirm current rates, as fees can be updated by the state legislature.

Inspection of records in person is always free. You pay only when you need copies made. The same rule applies to mail requests. Include your payment with the written request and add a self-addressed stamped envelope so staff can return the documents to you.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border or are close to LaSalle Parish. If you are not sure which parish handled a civil case, check where the parties lived when the case was filed. Cases go to the parish where at least one party lives or where the subject matter is located.