Ouachita Parish Court Records

A Louisiana court record is any document, paper, or exhibit filed in a judicial proceeding. The Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court keeps these records. Court records are public information and can be retrieved online or in person at the courthouse. Record seekers can find the following information in a court record:

• Defendant’s information (name and date of birth)
• Case details (case number, status, and disposition, violation, amended violation, and court)
• Fine details (amount to be paid, amount imposed, standard fine cost, amount paid, and bond amount)
• Sentence details (days sentenced, custody of, days sentenced suspended, and date sentenced)
• Probation details (length of probation and the date the probation will end)
• Court date events (date scheduled and event)

Court records help ensure the judicial system's fairness and transparency. They also protect the rights of case parties. Most legal professionals use court records to build their arguments, make decisions, and ensure justice. Court records are significant tools for appeals, judicial reviews, and future legal research.

Are Court Records Public in Ouachita Parish?

Yes. The Louisiana Public Records Law gives individuals the right to access court records. This means anyone can inspect, copy, or reproduce court records at any court in Ouachita Parish during normal business hours. Court record requests can be made online or in person. Not all court records in Ouachita Parish are public. Examples of confidential court records are:

• Adoption records
• Paternity records
• Medical records
• Mental health records
• Grand jury proceedings
• Attorney’s work product
• Sealed and expunged records
• Gestational surrogacy records
• Juvenile delinquency records
• Pretrial services program records
• Domestic violence records and reports
• Complete presentence investigation reports
• Child victims of sexual assault or abuse records
• Jurors of grand juries’ identity and records of proceedings
• Lawyer-client communication and common interest privileges
• Memoranda or advisory opinions relating to court administration
• Social Security, charge, bank account, debit, and credit card numbers
• Personal information of victims or alleged victims of domestic violence or sexual offenses
• Personnel records, employment applications, and employment investigation and hearing records
• Copies of search and arrest warrants and supporting affidavits until the warrant is executed or it is determined that it cannot be executed.

Ouachita Parish Court Records Search

Record seekers can perform court records searches via the following methods:

• Online through the Clerk Connect Portal
• In person at the courthouse
• Through third-party sites

Ouachita Parish Court Records Search by Name

The best place to conduct court records searches by name is at the Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court‘s Office. Court record requests are processed from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. A name or case number must be provided to process the request. Copies of court records cost $1 per page and an extra $5 for certified copies. Additionally, court records by name are possible online through the Clerk Connect Portal. Here is how to locate the portal:

• Go to the Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court’s official site
• Click on Links at the top menu
• Click on the Clerk Connect Civil, Criminal, and Land Record Inquiry link
• New users should click the “Don't have a login?” link to create an account
• Log in to the portal with an email and password
• Pay the subscription fees and conduct a search

Ouachita Parish Courts

The major court in Ouachita Parish is the District Court. The Parish also has city courts that handle civil and criminal cases. Below are the addresses of the courts in Ouachita Parish:

Fourth Judicial District Court
300 St John Street
Monroe, LA 71201
Phone: (318) 327-1444

Ouachita Parish Courthouse
301 S Grand St #104,
Monroe, LA 71201
Email: danab@opcoc.la.gov

Monroe City Court
600 Calypso Street
Monroe, Louisiana 71201
Phone: (318) 329-2580

West Monroe City Court
2303 N 7th Street
West Monroe, LA 71291
Phone: (318) 396-2767
Fax: (318) 396-2738

Ouachita Parish Superior Court Case Search

Ouachita Parish does not have a Superior Court but a District Court and city courts. All court records can be obtained online or in person at the District Court.

Ouachita Parish District Court Records

The Fourth Judicial District Court has original jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases in Ouachita Parish. Court records maintained by the District Court can be retrieved online through the Clerk Connect Portal or in person during business hours. Copies of District Court records come with a fee payable by credit card or cash.

Ouachita Parish Criminal Records

Criminal records contain Ouachita Parish arrests, dispositions, probation/parole bookings, and incarceration information on arrested individuals. Ouachita Parish arrest records can be found via the Inmate Inquiry provided by the Sheriff’s Office (OPSO). A search can be conducted by name, subject number, booking number, booking date range, or housing facility.

Per LRS § 15:587, criminal records are not available for public disclosure, but they are open to all criminal and non-criminal justice agencies. The Louisiana State Police’s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information (BCII) is the custodian of Ouachita Parish's criminal records. Requests can be made online through the Internet Background Check portal. Users must register and log in to the portal using a username, password, and agency code. Alternatively, requesters can submit a Right to Review Form by mail or in-person to the BCII. The processing fee costs $26, while fingerprints cost $10. In-person requests should be made from Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The BCII mailing address is:

Louisiana State Police
Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information
P.O. Box 66614 - Box A-6
Baton Rouge, LA 70896

Ouachita Parish Criminal Court Case Lookup

The Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court’s Criminal Department handles felony charges, while misdemeanor charges are heard in the municipal courts. Criminal court record inquiries can be made online via the Clerk Connect Portal. A subscription is required to conduct a search or print copies of records on this portal. The prices include $20 for 24-hour access, $75 per month, $800 per year, and $0.50 per page. Payment methods include credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. A third-party convenience fee of 3.49% applies on all credit card purchases, with a minimum fee of $1. Requesters must create an account and log in to the portal with an email and secured password.

Alternatively, record seekers can visit the Ouachita Parish courthouse from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to request copies of criminal records. A name or case number is required to process the request. Record fees can be paid in cash. Copies of criminal court records cost $1 per page, certified copies cost an extra $5.

Get Ouachita Parish Civil Court Records

The Clerk of Court’s Civil Department maintains civil court records in Ouachita Parish. Copies of civil records can be obtained online or in person at the courthouse. The Clerk has a Connect Portal where individuals can search and print copies of civil records. A subscription fee of $20 per day, $75 per month, $800 per year, and $0.50 per page is required for this service. The fees can be paid by any credit card, which attracts convenience fees. In-person requests can be made from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Clerk will require a search criteria, a fee, and a valid ID to process the request.

Ouachita Parish Family Court Records

The Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court is the custodian of family records. Most family records are confidential, so they are not available for public perusal. Public family court records can be retrieved in person at the courthouse. Basic information on the appropriate fee must be provided to facilitate the search.

Ouachita Dissolution of Marriage Records

Ouachita Parish residents use dissolution of marriage records interchangeably with divorce. The Clerk of Court does not issue dissolution of marriage records online, but requesters can visit the court to obtain copies. Requests are processed between Monday and Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A name or case number is required to conduct a search. Copies of dissolution of marriage records cost $1 per page, and certified copies cost an extra $5.

Ouachita Parish Marriage and Divorce Records

Individuals can obtain a certified copy of a divorce decree or marriage record from the Ouachita Clerk of Court office. The Clerk issues Ouachita Parish marriage records online through the Connect Portal, but divorce records are not. This service costs $20 per day, $75 per month, $800 per year, and $0.50 per page, payable by credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.

Copies of marriage and divorce records are available in personn at the courthouse. Requests should be made during business hours from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A fee is required to process a marriage or divorce certificate in Ouachita Parish.

Ouachita Birth and Death Records

Louisiana is a "closed record" state, which excludes birth and death certificates from Ouachita Parish public records. All requests for birth or death records should include a completed application, proper identification, and appropriate fees. Ouachita Parish birth records are confidential for 100 years, and death records are confidential for 50 years. The following persons are eligible to order confidential vital records in Ouachita Parish:

• An attorney
• A succession representative
• The current or surviving spouse
• Mother, father, grandmother, or grandfather
• An adult child, sister/brother, or grandchild
• The person named on the record (for Ouachita Parish birth records)
• The beneficiary of the deceased’s insurance policy or trust, public pension plan, financial institution account

The Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court offers certified copies of birth and death records for events occurring on or after July 7, 2012. Requests can be made in person at the courthouse. The Clerk charges $34 for birth certificates, $48 for birth cards with birth certificates, and $26 for death certificates.

The Louisiana Department of Health Bureau of Vital Records and Statistics issues birth and death records online, in person, by fax, by phone, and by mail. Online, fax, and phone requests are processed through a third-party vendor, and there is an additional fee for this service. Mail requesters must submit a completed Application for Certified Copy of Birth/Death Certificate Form, a copy of a valid photo ID, and appropriate fees to:

Vital Records Registry
P.O. Box 60630
New Orleans, LA 70160

Ouachita Parish birth certificates cost $15 per copy, birth certificates plus birth cards cost $24 per copy, and death certificates cost $7 per copy. Mail orders attract an extra $0.50 state charge per transaction. Payment for mail requests should be by check or money order.

The Bureau offers walk-in services during office hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). In-person requesters can fill out the application form. They must bring a valid photo ID and appropriate fees to the Vital Records Central Office. Acceptable forms of payment are cash, check, or money order. The Vital Records Central Office is located at:

Vital Records Central Office
1450 Poydras Street
Suite 400
New Orleans, LA 70112

The Louisiana State Archives has birth and death records older than 100 years and records older than 50 years. Individuals can conduct a search online using the Archives’ Death or Birth Records Index Database. Click the Basic Search link to conduct a search by name, while the Advanced Search link provides several search options. Copies of birth and death records can be delivered to requesters by mail for $5 each and certified copies for $10 each.

Ouachita Parish Probate Court Records

Probate cases are heard and maintained at the Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court’s Civil Department. Probate Court records can be viewed and copied online or in person during business hours. The Clerk Connect Portal is the common tool used by members of the public to copy probate court records. However, a subscription fee, between $0.50 per page and $800 per year, is required to access the portal. Alternatively, interested individuals can visit the courthouse with the required information and fee to access probate court records.

Ouachita Parish Property Records

The Ouachita Parish public records include property records. Therefore, anyone can request to view or copy property records from the appropriate record custodian. Ouachita Parish has several custodians who maintain property records like deeds, liens, and property tax. For example:

The Ouachita Parish Assessor makes real estate records freely available online through its Real Property Search tool and Interactive Mapping. To access real estate records, click on the Search Real Property Records button on the homepage, enter the search criteria in the appropriate field, select the tax year, and click the Search button. Requesters can search property records using criteria like name, parcel, property ID, subdivision, or address. Click on either the View or Map button to access more information about the property. Alternatively, inquires can visit the Assessor’s Office during business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday), to request property records.

The Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court’s Research Department also issues property records online and in person. Online requests can be made through the Clerk Connect Portal. This service costs a subscription fee of $20 for 24-hour access, $75.00 for a month, $800.00 for a complete year, and $0.50 per page. Payments can be made by credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. A third-party convenience fee of 3.49% applies on all credit card purchases, with a minimum fee of $1.In-person requests are processed during office hours. To submit a request, arrive at the office before 4:30 p.m. The property owner’s name, property address, or parcel ID is required to facilitate the search. Copies of property records come with a fee.

Typical property records contain information on the property owner, property address, assessment summary, extended legal, and map. Access to property records helps property owners with properties close to each other resolve boundary-line disputes. Since property records contain the property description, disputing parties can request them to check the property boundary lines. Property records also help mortgage lenders settle any concerns regarding mortgages and foreclosures on a property. It helps property buyers retrieve current and past information about registered properties before purchasing them. Property records are beneficial to property sellers when settling disputes relating to property ownership. With property ownership records, individuals can determine current and previous owners of properties.

Ouachita Parish Court Records Online

Several third-party vendors have online portals where members of the public can find court records. They provide services across multiple jurisdictions but are not usually as reliable as official websites. Access to third-party websites like louisianacourtrecords.us requires a first or last name. Initial searches are usually free, but comprehensive searches attract a fee. It typically costs between $2.95 and $4.95 for seven (7) days of unlimited access or a monthly subscription charge between $19.95 and $24.95. Initial searches will return results on all cases with the searched name.