St. Mary Parish Court Records

St. Mary Parish court records are official documents and files containing information about cases adjudicated at the courts serving the parish’s residents. These Louisiana court records are often publicly accessible and serve as evidence of legal proceedings. Furthermore, St. Mary Parish court records may be used as precedents for future rulings, such as in appellate decisions.

St. Mary Parish court case files typically contain the following information:

• Dockets
• Case Information
• Judgments and Orders
• Case Transcripts
• Affidavits and Evidence
• Petitions and Complaints
• Summons
• Litigants’ Information

Are Court Records Public in St. Mary Parish?

In St. Mary Parish, court records are public and may be inspected or copied by anyone. Generally, Louisiana law allows custodians of court records to provide them to members of the public upon request. However, the public disclosure of certain court records in St. Parish may be prohibited by court orders or state statutes. Examples of such records include:

• Sealed/Expunged Court Records
• Juvenile Court Records
• Adoption Records
• Medical Records
• Financial Information

St. Mary Parish Court Records Search

Generally, St. Mary Parish court records are public information and can be searched online or in person. Interested persons can conduct record searches by accessing online databases offered by government or third-party resources. Additionally, record seekers can visit the courthouse or records custodian to search for court records in their custody.

St. Mary Parish Courts

St.Mary Parish is served by trial-level courts that resolve civil and criminal matters. The parish’s court system comprises the District, City, Justice of Peace, and Mayor’s Courts. The District Court is the court of general jurisdiction, while the lower courts have limited jurisdiction over specific cases. Moreover, criminal cases decided by the lower courts can be appealed at the District Court.

The following is a list of St. Mary Parish courts’ addresses and contact details:

St. Mary 16th Judicial District Court
St. Mary Parish Courthouse
500 Main Street
P.O Drawer 1231
Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: (337) 828-4100 ext. 200
Fax: (337) 828-2509

City Courts

City Court of Morgan City
7261 Hwy 182 East
P.O. Box 1577
Morgan City, LA 70381
Phone: (985) 384-2718
Fax: (985) 384-7519

Franklin City Court
508 1/2 Second Street
Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: (337) 828-3858
Fax: (337) 413-1180

Justice of the Peace Courts

Justice of the Peace Ward 1
293 Eves Street
Jeanerette, LA 70544
Phone: (337) 276-7092
Phone: (337) 339-2676

Justice of the Peace Ward 2
4683 Hwy 83
Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: (337) 940-1027

Justice of the Peace Ward 4
P.O. Box 175
Centerville, LA 70522
Phone: (337) 923-1217

Justice of the Peace Ward 5
1008 Delmar Road
Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: (985) 397-3794

Justice of the Peace Ward 7
223 Gibbs Road
Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: (337) 923-0677

Justice of the Peace Ward 8
210 Jones Street
Berwick, LA 70342
Phone: (985) 385-6101

Justice of the Peace Ward 9
P.O. Box 1041
Amelia, LA 70340
Phone: (985) 631-1014

Justice of the Peace Ward 10
P.O. Box 876
Baldwin, LA 70514
Phone: (337) 578-7626

Mayor's Courts

Baldwin Mayor's Court
800 Main Street
P.O. Box 800
Baldwin, LA 70514
Phone: (337) 923-7523
Fax: (337) 923-7524

Berwick Mayor's Court
3225 3rd Street, P.O. Box 486
Berwick, LA 70342
Phone: (985) 384-8858
Fax: (985) 384-8873

Patterson Mayor's Court
1314 Main Street
P.O. Box 367
Patterson, LA 70392
Phone: (985) 395-5205
Fax: (985) 395-8305

St. Mary Parish Criminal Records

St. Mary Parish criminal records describe official documents containing the criminal history of individuals, including convictions, arrests, and court sentences or dispositions. These records are created and maintained by both the parish courts and law enforcement agencies. For instance, St. Mary Parish arrest records are generated when peace officers arrest individuals alleged to commit crimes.

In St. Mary Parish, the Sheriff’s Office maintains criminal records and disseminates them publicly. Interested persons may obtain St. Mary Parish criminal records from either of the sheriff’s offices located at:

St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office Headquarters
St. Mary Parish Courthouse
500 Main Street, 4th Floor
Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: (337) 828-1960

St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Branch Office
1455 Railroad Avenue
Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: (985) 384-1622

Also, the Sheriff’s Office maintains criminal records of inmates detained or serving jail time at the St. Mary Parish Detention Center. Record seekers may access St. Mary arrest records and other criminal information about current inmates or individuals released from detention within 48 hours on the Inmate Roster.

Get St. Mary Parish Civil Court Records

St. Mary Parish civil court records are a collection of documents, case files, and information concerning non-criminal legal proceedings handled by the parish’s District, City, Justice of Peace, or Mayor’s Courts. These records may include pleadings, motions, court orders, transcripts, or judgments relating to the following civil cases:

• Tort claims
• Breach of contract matters
• Landlord/tenant issues
• Domestic-related disputes
• Small claims matters
• Equitable claims
• Probate matters
• Bankruptcy cases

The St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court is the custodian for civil court records. Interested persons can visit the clerk on the second floor of the St. Mary Parish Courthouse to obtain such records. Requesters may also inquire about obtaining St. Mary Parish civil court records by email, phone, or mail written requests to:

P.O. Drawer 1231
Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: (337) 828-2509

In addition, record seekers can create an account or log in to the ESearch portal to access St. Mary Parish civil court records online.

St. Mary Parish Marriage Records

St. Mary Parish marriage records are official documentation of marital unions whose marriage licenses were obtained in the parish. The Clerk of Court maintains these records as public information. To get certified copies of a St.Mary Parish marriage certificate, contact or visit the Clerk of the Court’s office at the courthouse. Also, the Clerk offers access to its online indexing system, allowing users to log in to the ESearch portal and search for St. Mary Parish marriage records on the database.

St. Mary Parish Divorce Records

St. Mary Parish's divorce records are documents relating to the legal termination of marriages by the parish court. These records, such as divorce decrees, may be inspected or obtained by members of the public. In St. Mary Parish, interested persons may contact or visit the Clerk of Court office to get copies of divorce decrees.

St. Mary Parish Birth and Death Records

St. Mary Parish birth records are official documents related to births, and death records document deaths recorded within the parish. There are limitations regarding public access to St. Mary Parish vital records, such as birth and death certificates. According to Louisiana law, birth records are kept confidential for 100 years, and death records are kept confidential for 50 years. Custodians may only make copies of a St. Mary Parish birth certificate or death certificate to the following persons:

• The individual named on the certificate (for birth certificates)
• Immediate family members, such as adult children, legal spouses, siblings, parents, adult grandkids, or grandparents
• Legal guardians of the certificate owners
• Non-family members with letters of authorization
• Authorized legal representatives

The Louisiana Department of Health is responsible for disseminating vital records within the state.

To obtain copies of a St. Mary Parish birth or death certificate, complete the application form and submit it in person, along with the applicable service fees and a valid Photo ID, to the Vital Records Central Office at:

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

For a mail request, the completed application form should be mailed along with a valid photo ID and the required fees to:

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

Additionally, the Louisiana State Archives Index Database offers online access to St. Mary Parish birth records over 100 years old and death records over 50 years old. Users can search for such death records or birth records by name and other personal information.

St. Mary Parish Probate Court Records

St. Mary Parish probate court records are official documents generated during probate proceedings settled by the District Court. Probate cases typically involve the following matters:

• Wills and Trusts
• Guardianships
• Conservatorships
• Administration of Estates

To obtain St. Mary Parish probate court records, contact or visit the clerk at the parish courthouse. If available, requesters may also access probate court documents/files on the Esearch portal offered by the St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court.

St. Mary Parish Property Records

St. Mary Parish property records are official documents containing details about real estate within the parish. Generally, the types of property-related information available in these records include:

• Parcel Number
• Deeds
• Tax Assessments
• Mortgages
• Property Address
• Property Description
• Names of Present and Past Property Owners
• Zoning Details
• Maps

Interested persons may contact or visit the St. Mary Assessor's office to inquire about accessing property records within the parish:

St. Mary Courthouse Building
500 Main Street, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box 264
Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: (337) 828-4100
Fax: (337) 828-2122
Email: dclements@stmaryparishla.gov, mtamporello@stmaryparishla.gov

St. Mary Parish Court Records Online

Third-party online resources such as Louisianacourtrecords.us offer remote access to St. Mary Parish records. Users can conveniently search and access different public documents aggregated on these sites. However, court records maintained on third-party sites may contain inaccurate or incomplete information.