Search Calcasieu Parish Court Records

Calcasieu Parish court records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Lake Charles, covering civil cases, criminal cases, land records, probate, and marriage licenses dating back to 1910. Residents and legal professionals can search these records online through two separate portals or visit the courthouse in person during regular business hours.

Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court

The Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court is the official custodian of all court records filed in the parish. The office is located in Lake Charles, which serves as the legal and governmental center of southwest Louisiana. All civil, criminal, property, and vital records for the parish flow through this office. Staff are available during business hours to assist with general questions, though the office does not conduct research on behalf of the public.

One important thing to know before you begin your search: the Calcasieu Parish Clerk's Office does not do research for you. You must conduct your own records search, either using the online portals or by visiting the courthouse terminals in person. If you need help navigating the system, staff can show you how to use the search tools, but locating specific records is your responsibility.

The official Calcasieu Parish Clerk website provides links to both the IT2 Online Search Services portal and the eClerks LA statewide system. The screenshot below shows the clerk's homepage, which is the starting point for online access to Calcasieu Parish court records.

From the clerk's main page, you can navigate to both search portals, check filing requirements, and find contact information for specific departments within the office.

Note: Calcasieu Parish is one of the few parishes that offers access to court records through two separate online systems, giving users more flexibility in how they search.

How to Search Calcasieu Parish Court Records

Calcasieu Parish offers two separate online portals for searching court records, plus in-person access at the Lake Charles courthouse. The IT2 Online Search Services system is specific to Calcasieu Parish, while eClerks LA is a statewide platform used by multiple parishes. Both are legitimate ways to access Calcasieu Parish court records, and the right choice depends on what you are looking for.

To search online using IT2, visit the Calcasieu Clerk's website and follow the link to IT2 Online Search Services. This portal is tailored to Calcasieu's own records system and may give you more detailed local results. To use eClerks LA, go to eclerksla.com and select Calcasieu Parish. The statewide portal allows you to search across all 64 Louisiana parishes from a single interface, which is useful if you are tracking a case that may have moved between jurisdictions.

For in-person searches, visit the clerk's office at 1000 Ryan Street during regular business hours. Bring the full name of the person or business, the approximate date, or a case number. Public terminals are available. Remember that staff will not search the records for you, but they can help you understand how to navigate the system.

Note: If you are searching for records from before 1910, they likely do not exist, as most pre-1910 records were lost in the courthouse fire described below.

Types of Court Records in Calcasieu Parish

Calcasieu Parish court records cover a broad range of legal matters. Civil records include lawsuits, contracts, family law cases, and other disputes between private parties. Criminal records document charges, arraignments, pleas, trials, and sentences in state criminal cases. Both civil and criminal records are generally public under Louisiana law, with limited exceptions for certain sealed or juvenile matters.

Land records include conveyances (sales and transfers) and mortgages (liens and encumbrances) on real estate in the parish. These are essential for title searches and real estate transactions. Probate records, also known as successions in Louisiana, are filed with the clerk and deal with estates and wills. Marriage records are also maintained by the clerk's office and can be searched on request.

All of these record types in Calcasieu Parish begin from 1910. Before that year, most records were lost in the courthouse fire. The surviving records have been maintained continuously since then, and many are now available through the online portals listed above.

Note: Records from before 1910 were largely destroyed and are not available through the clerk's office. Historical researchers may find some pre-1910 information through state archives or genealogical databases.

Online Access to Calcasieu Parish Court Records

Calcasieu Parish is well-served by two online portals. The IT2 Online Search Services system offers direct access to parish-specific court records and is linked from the Calcasieu Clerk's official website. For statewide searching, eClerks LA provides access to land records, civil case information, and marriage records across all Louisiana parishes. Both portals are legitimate, and many users find it useful to check both when searching for a specific record.

The eClerks LA portal is run by the Louisiana Clerks of Court Remote Access Association (LCRAA), which is an official organization of Louisiana parish clerks. The screenshot below shows the eClerks LA interface, which is one of the ways to access Calcasieu Parish court records online.

Through eClerks LA, you can search for land records, civil case indexes, and marriage licenses. Some searches are free; others may require a subscription or per-document fee depending on the record type and the parish.

Note: The eClerks LA statewide portal search function is free of charge for basic index lookups, but downloading or printing documents may carry a fee.

Court Record Fees in Calcasieu Parish

Fees for Calcasieu Parish court records follow state guidelines. Standard copy fees are typically $1.00 per page for most document types. Certified copies cost more, with an added per-document fee on top of the per-page charge. For records accessed through IT2 or eClerks LA, the online fee schedule may differ from the in-person rates. Check the current fee list on the clerk's website or contact the office directly before submitting a request.

Some basic index searches through eClerks LA are available at no cost, which makes it easy to confirm whether a record exists before paying for a copy. If you need a certified copy for legal use, you will need to either request it in person or follow the clerk's mail-request process. The office can walk you through the steps if you call ahead or visit during business hours.

Note: Fees set by the Louisiana Legislature may change. Always confirm the current fee schedule before sending a payment, especially for mail-in requests.

Public Records Access in Calcasieu Parish

Louisiana's Public Records Law provides strong access rights for anyone who wants to review government records. La. R.S. 44:1 broadly defines what qualifies as a public record, and Calcasieu Parish court records fall squarely within that definition. The law covers any document made or held by a public body in the course of its official duties, which includes court filings, property records, and marriage licenses.

La. R.S. 44:31 establishes the right of any person to inspect and copy public records. The Calcasieu Clerk of Court cannot deny a lawful public records request without providing a specific legal reason. Under La. R.S. 44:32, the custodian must respond promptly and, if the record is not immediately available, give you a specific date and time when it will be ready. If your request is denied in writing, you may file a petition in district court to compel disclosure.

There are exceptions. Juvenile records, records sealed by court order, and certain records related to active law enforcement investigations may be withheld. But these exceptions are narrow. Most Calcasieu Parish court records are open to the public without restriction, and the online portals make access straightforward for most requests.

Note: If you believe a record is being improperly withheld, Louisiana law gives you a clear process for challenging that decision through the courts.

The 1910 Courthouse Fire and Calcasieu Parish Records

One fact that sets Calcasieu Parish apart from most other Louisiana parishes is the 1910 courthouse fire. On April 23, 1910, a disastrous fire swept through the courthouse and much of downtown Lake Charles, destroying a large portion of the parish's historical records. Marriage records, land records, probate records, and court files from before that date were burned or badly damaged in the blaze.

Because of this, all major record categories in Calcasieu Parish begin from 1910. This is not a gap in the clerk's record-keeping; it is a direct result of the fire. Researchers looking for records from before April 1910 are unlikely to find them through the clerk's office. Some information may survive in state archives, federal records, or private genealogical collections, but the parish courthouse does not hold pre-1910 originals.

Since 1910, the Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court has maintained continuous records. The parish has grown significantly since then, and the current digital portals make it easier than ever to access the records that do exist. If you are doing genealogical research or a title search that requires information from before 1910, contact the Louisiana State Archives for guidance on alternative sources.

Note: The 1910 fire is the reason many Calcasieu Parish records searches hit a wall at that year. It is a known limitation, and researchers should plan accordingly.

Cities in Calcasieu Parish

Lake Charles is the largest city in Calcasieu Parish and the only city in the parish that meets the population threshold for a dedicated records page.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border Calcasieu Parish. File in the parish where the case was originally heard.