St. Charles Parish Civil Court Records
St. Charles Parish civil court records are filed and maintained at the Clerk of Court office in Hahnville, Louisiana. The clerk serves as the official keeper of all civil case filings, judgments, and court documents for the parish. You can search St. Charles Parish civil court records online through the Public Records Search portal or eClerks LA, or visit the Hahnville courthouse in person during regular business hours. The office has offered online record access since 2009, making it one of the earlier adopters of digital public records in Louisiana.
St. Charles Parish Quick Facts
St. Charles Parish Clerk of Court
Lance Marino serves as the St. Charles Parish Clerk of Court. The office handles all civil case filings in the 29th Judicial District and acts as the official keeper of parish records. Like all Louisiana clerks, this office is self-supporting, funded through statutory fees rather than tax money. That means it does not rely on the parish government budget to operate.
The clerk's duties go well beyond civil court. Staff also record mortgages and conveyances, issue marriage licenses, and maintain notarial acts. Civil records in St. Charles Parish go back many decades, and the office makes a large portion of that record set available online. Records have been accessible digitally since 2009, which gives remote users access to a solid range of historical civil case data.
The office is located at 15045 River Rd. in Hahnville. You can reach them by phone during business hours or find contact details and portal links on their official site.
| Clerk of Court | Lance Marino |
|---|---|
| Address | 15045 River Rd. Hahnville, LA 70057 |
| Phone | (985) 783-6632 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Website | stcharlesclerk.com |
How to Search St. Charles Parish Civil Court Records
There are several ways to access civil court records in St. Charles Parish. Online search is the fastest route for basic lookups. The clerk has offered a Public Records Search portal since 2009, giving you remote access to civil case indexes and documents without a trip to Hahnville.
St. Charles Parish also participates in the eClerks LA statewide portal. This free system lets you search civil, land, marriage, and probate records across all 64 Louisiana parishes in one place. The Louisiana Clerks' Remote Access Authority (LCRAA) manages this system under La. R.S. 13:754. Results show you the basic case index data. For document images, you may need to go to the parish-specific portal or visit in person.
eClerks LA at eclerksla.com provides free index searches for St. Charles Parish civil records and covers all 64 Louisiana parishes.
In-person visits give you the most complete access. Bring a photo ID and the name of a party in the case or the case number. Staff at the clerk's office can run a search and pull the file for you. If you need certified copies, you pay at the time of request. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Mail requests are also accepted. Send a written request with the case details, your contact information, and payment for any copies you need. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want documents mailed back to you.
Online Civil Record Access in St. Charles Parish
The St. Charles Parish Clerk of Court has provided online record access since 2009. That is a fairly long track record for a Louisiana parish clerk. The Public Records Search portal on the clerk's website lets you search civil case indexes by party name or case number. Most basic civil case data is available without a fee for index searches.
The Public Records Search portal is available through the St. Charles Parish Clerk of Court website at stcharlesclerk.com. Online access has been available since 2009.
The eClerks LA portal is a second option. It is free to use for index lookups. You can search St. Charles along with other parishes in a single session. If you need document images, the clerk's own portal or an in-person visit will give you access to the full file.
Under La. R.S. § 44:1-41, the Louisiana Public Records Act, anyone can inspect civil court records for free. Fees apply only when you ask for copies to be made. Standard copy rates in Louisiana are $1.00 per page for plain copies. Certified copies typically cost more. Call the office to confirm current rates before visiting.
Types of Civil Court Records in St. Charles Parish
The St. Charles Parish Clerk of Court maintains all civil filings for the 29th Judicial District. Civil cases here include personal injury suits, contract disputes, property boundary actions, debt collection cases, successions, and family law matters such as custody and child support. Each case generates a file that grows as documents are added. All pleadings, motions, and orders in the file are part of the public record unless a judge seals them.
Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 251 places the duty to maintain and provide access to court records on the Clerk of Court. The clerk must keep all filed documents and make them available to the public on request. You do not need to be a party to a case to request access. You do not need to explain why you want the records. The right to inspect is free under state law.
Some records are not public. Adoption files, juvenile court matters, sealed records, and expunged filings are not available to the general public. If a judge has entered a sealing order on a specific case or document, it is removed from public access. Ask the clerk's office if you are not sure whether a record you need is open or restricted.
The clerk also keeps land records, mortgage filings, notarial acts, and marriage records. These are often searched alongside civil records when researching property chains or family history in St. Charles Parish.
St. Charles Parish Civil Court Record Fees
Inspection of civil court records is free in St. Charles Parish. You only pay when you ask for copies. Standard copy fees in Louisiana are $1.00 per page for uncertified copies. Certified document copies cost more. Call the clerk's office at (985) 783-6632 to get current copy rates before your visit.
Online index searches through eClerks LA are free. The clerk's own Public Records Search portal may have subscription or per-access fees for document images. Check the clerk's website for current pricing on premium online access. Mail requests should include payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Processing times for mail requests vary.
Nearby Parishes
These parishes border or are close to St. Charles Parish. If you are not sure which parish handled a civil case, check where the parties lived when the suit was filed. Civil cases are filed in the parish where at least one party resided or where the subject of the dispute is located.