Lafourche Parish Court Records Search

Lafourche Parish court records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Thibodaux and cover civil cases, criminal filings, conveyance records, and mortgage documents for the 17th Judicial District. You can search Lafourche Parish court records online through the eClerksLA statewide portal or contact the clerk's office directly by email, toll-free phone, or in-person visit at 303 West Third Street.

Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court

Hon. Annette Fontana serves as Clerk of Court for Lafourche Parish. The office sits at 303 West Third Street in Thibodaux. The clerk holds civil and criminal court records for the 17th Judicial District, plus conveyance and mortgage records that are searchable online. Both in-person and remote access are available for residents and researchers across Louisiana.

Lafourche Parish offers a toll-free number in addition to the main line. The main phone is (985) 447-4841 and the toll-free line is (866) 447-4841. This reflects the geography of the parish, which stretches along Bayou Lafourche for many miles. Some residents live well outside Thibodaux, and the toll-free option helps them reach the office without a long-distance charge. Public records requests can also be sent by email to clerk@lafourcheclerk.com before making a trip or subscribing online.

The official Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court website provides full contact details, online access information, and links to the eClerksLA portal for remote searches.

The clerk site at lafourcheclerk.com covers the civil and criminal record indexes, copy fee rates, and how to submit records requests by email for Lafourche Parish court records.

Note: Lafourche Parish is one of the few Louisiana clerks' offices with a toll-free number, making it easy to reach for residents in the southern parts of the parish near the Gulf Coast who need to ask about court records without a long-distance charge.

How to Find Lafourche Parish Court Records Online

Lafourche Parish uses the eClerksLA statewide portal for online court record access. This system is managed by the Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority and is described as Louisiana's one-stop shop for doing business with Louisiana clerks. For Lafourche Parish, the portal covers conveyance and mortgage records alongside civil and criminal court records. Index searches let you see case names, dates, and document types without any cost. Full document images require a paid subscription.

Subscription options for online Lafourche Parish court records access through eClerksLA are practical and flexible. A 30-day unlimited access plan runs $50 per month. A one-day unlimited access pass costs $20. The daily rate works well if you only need to pull a few records. The monthly plan is better for ongoing title research or frequent civil and criminal court record searches. All payments go through the eClerksLA portal rather than through the clerk's office directly.

Civil e-filing and e-recording are also available through eClerksLA for Lafourche Parish. This allows documents to be submitted electronically instead of by mail or in person. For attorneys and title companies that file regularly in this parish, electronic submission cuts down the time and cost of routine filings significantly.

The eClerksLA statewide portal provides access to Lafourche Parish court records and land records through the LCRAA system.

The eClerksLA portal at eclerksla.com covers conveyance, mortgage, civil, and criminal court record indexes for Lafourche Parish through a single login to the statewide system.

Types of Lafourche Parish Court Records

The Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court holds civil records from the 17th Judicial District Court. These include lawsuits, judgments, domestic matters, and civil appeals. Criminal records cover felony and misdemeanor cases heard in the district court. Both civil and criminal record indexes are searchable through the eClerksLA portal. The scope of what is available online versus what requires an in-person request depends on the age of the record and how far back the digital indexes extend.

Conveyance and mortgage records are a major part of what the clerk maintains. Conveyance records show property transfers and ownership changes. Mortgage records document financing instruments and liens on real property in Lafourche Parish. Both are searchable online through eClerksLA. Title companies and real estate attorneys working with Lafourche Parish court records access these routinely. They are essential for any property transaction in the parish.

The clerk also issues and records marriage licenses for Lafourche Parish. Probate records -- successions and wills -- are filed with the clerk and are part of the public record. For any of these record types, the starting point is the Clerk of Court office in Thibodaux or the eClerksLA online portal.

Note: Copy fees for Lafourche Parish court records are $1.00 per page for regular copies and $2.00 per page for certified copies. Certified copies carry the clerk's official seal and are required for use in legal proceedings and government applications.

Lafourche Parish Court Records and Public Access

Louisiana's public records statutes apply to all court records held by the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court. Under La. R.S. 44:1, public records include any document made or received by a public body in performing its official functions. The clerk's office in Thibodaux is a public body. The civil, criminal, conveyance, and mortgage records it holds are public records. Access is the legal default in Louisiana, not a privilege.

The right to access those records is protected by La. R.S. 44:31. Any person may inspect, copy, or reproduce a public record. No purpose need be stated. No legal interest in the case is required. The clerk cannot deny access without identifying a specific statutory exemption. For civil, criminal, and land records in Lafourche Parish, most fall within the public access rule with no exemption applying.

Under La. R.S. 44:32, the clerk must respond promptly. If the record is on hand and not exempt, it must be made available. If more time is needed, the requester must be notified within three business days. For Lafourche Parish court records indexed in eClerksLA, digital access is nearly immediate. For older records, retrieval may take longer but the three-day notification rule still applies.

Juvenile records are sealed under Louisiana law and cannot be accessed through any public channel. Cases sealed by court order are also restricted. La. R.S. 13:507 confirms that court records in Louisiana are public documents. Outside the narrow exceptions, the Lafourche Parish Clerk follows Louisiana law and makes civil, criminal, and land records available to anyone who requests them in Thibodaux.

Copy Fees and In-Person Access

Lafourche Parish charges $1.00 per page for regular copies of court records. Certified copies cost $2.00 per page. Certification adds the clerk's seal and signature, making the copy legally valid for use in courts, title companies, and government agencies. For a single-page certified copy, the cost is $2.00. Longer documents multiply that rate by the page count.

Filing fees for new court cases in the 17th Judicial District are set by Louisiana law and local rules. Civil filings, domestic matters, and other actions each have separate fee schedules. Call (985) 447-4841 or the toll-free line at (866) 447-4841 to get current filing fee information before coming to the courthouse in Thibodaux.

For in-person access, visit the clerk's office at 303 West Third Street during regular hours. Staff can search by name or case number for civil, criminal, and land records. Bring photo ID. For older records not yet digitized, allow extra time -- the file may need to be pulled from storage before copies can be made.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes are near Lafourche Parish. Always request records from the parish where the case was filed.