Caddo Parish, Louisiana State Court Records
In Caddo Parish, court records are formal documents generated during legal proceedings within the Caddo Parish District Court. They usually contain information about the filed charges, and final decisions taken about a case.
Court records usually span across civil, criminal, probate, and family matters. These records are usually made publicly available, as they help promote transparency within the Louisiana judicial system.
Court records in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, are maintained and kept by the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court. Since court cases usually involve many different scenarios and details, court records are often interconnected with records from other government agencies. Some of these include: marriage records, birth and death certificates, arrest records, and property related documents.
Are Caddo Parish Court Records Public?
Yes, they are. Under Article XII, Section 3 of the Louisiana public records law, any member of the public may inspect or obtain copies of documents maintained by government agencies. As court records are also maintained by a government agency, they classify as public records, and hence, should be made available to the public.
In Caddo Parish, public access to court records is sometimes restricted. This happens if the records involve juveniles, adoption proceedings, or mental health information.
When records are restricted, only authorized individuals and government agencies can access them. However, for partially restricted records, some parts of the document are redacted to protect the identity of the individuals involved.
Few other factors may classify a record to be restricted by law. These factors include:
- Court records with sensitive personal information
- Cases involving victims or protected witnesses
- Documents sealed or expunged by court order.
What Information is Available in Caddo Parish Court Records?
Court records usually contain enough information to paint a complete picture about a case. Common details found in Caddo Parish court records include:
- Case number
- Names of parties involved
- Filed charges
- Date of filing
- Case status
- Court division
- Name of judge(s) assigned
- Sentencing details
- Final judgement / disposition
- Motions and orders
- Hearing dates
- Attorney information
- Hearing dates
- Court orders
- Docket entries
Caddo Parish Court Records Search
There are three (3) key methods of obtaining court records within Caddo Parish. These are:
Online Access
This is the easiest means of obtaining court records. Through this means, individuals can easily access court records at any time through the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court official website.
To use this method:
- Visit the official website of the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court.
- Locate the web inquiry section, and select the category of records you're searching for. This could be civil, criminal or marriage records.
- Enter the case number, name of involved party, or any other identifying details relating to the case.
- Basic information pertaining to the case is then revealed.
To get pictures and other details about the case, one would need to pay for a subscription. Individuals may purchase monthly access to the site for $50, or remain restricted to a 24hr access for $20 only. Depending on the case type, online access is mostly granted to members of the public. Cases like civil cases, criminal cases, court indexes, marriage records, and property records are generally accessible online.
In-Person Access
Interested individuals may also obtain court records in person at the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court office located at 591 Texas Street, Room 103 l, Shreveport, LA 71101.
Visitors are often asked to provide a means of identification before requesting for court records. To help court staff with locating the requested documents, the inquirers would need to provide details such as the case number, filing date, and name(s) of the party(ies) involved.
In-person searches are most effective when certified copies of documents are needed, or when searching for older records.
Mail and Phone Requests
Court records can also be requested via the phone or mail. When requesting records via mail, a written request must be sent. This request should be directed to the mailing address:
Caddo Parish Clerk of Court
501 Texas Street, Room 103
Shreveport, LA 71101
Phone requests can be made at (318) 226-6780.
Fees for Court Records in Caddo Parish
Per Louisiana laws, public records are generally free to access. However, fees are incurred when the records need to be processed. Processing could involve spending time to search for the records, copying the records, and other administrative costs that may arise while making the record available.
If an official has to take time out to specifically look for the requested records, or needs to make copies of the record, then the Clerk of Court charges the inquirers for these. For instance, copies of written public records attract a cost of $1/page. Online access to court records comes at $50 per month or $20 per day, and $0.60 per page of copies of online documents.
For records requested through the mail, postage and mailing fees also apply.
As processing fees can change at any time, inquirers may contact the Clerk of Court to get the current cost of processing records online, or in-person.
Caddo Parish Courthouse Locations
Caddo Parish, Louisiana has four different courthouse locations. Each of these locations serve different purposes within the county. The Caddo Parish Judicial District Court and the Caddo Parish Juvenile Court are the primary courthouse locations in the area.
|
Court |
Address |
Phone Number |
|---|---|---|
|
Caddo Parish Judicial District Court |
501 Texas Street, Shreveport, LA 71101 |
(318) 226-6780 |
|
Caddo Parish Juvenile Court |
1835 Spring Street, Shreveport, LA 71101 |
(318) 226-6751 |
|
Shreveport City Court |
1244 Texas Avenue, Shreveport LA 71101 |
(318) 673-5800 |
|
Louisiana Second Circuit Court of Appeal |
430 Fannin Street, Shreveport LA 71101 |
(318) 227-3700 |
Criminal Records Access in Caddo Parish
Criminal cases in Caddo Parish can be accessed through either the Clerk of Court's website, or in-person at Clerk of Court's records division. These records usually include scheduled court appointments, sentencing decisions, case and motion filings, as well as the names of judges, attorneys, and the accused individual(s).
Access to criminal records may be restricted if the records have been sealed or expunged by court order.
It is important to note that the search for criminal case records are far different from criminal background checks. Criminal background checks are handled and conducted by the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information. Individuals seeking records of criminal history must submit their written requests to the appropriate authorities.
Caddo Parish Probate Records
Probate records are records concerned with how an individual chooses to administer their estate after their demise. These records often contain wills, trusts, and guardianships. They are often used to understand how the court handled the distribution of properties between the surviving relatives of the deceased individual.
Caddo Parish probate records are generally accessible to the public unless a court order specifically restricts them from being accessed. Caddo Parish probate records are maintained and executed by the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court.
Caddo Parish Family Court Records
In Caddo Parish, family court records refer to documents detailing events such as divorce, adoption, custody, child support, spousal support, and other domestic issues. Family court records are maintained by the clerk's office and can be easily assessed through the court's database or a submitted written request.
However, cases involving juvenile matters or adoption are often protected from public view.
Additionally, individuals seeking certified copies of family records must submit written requests to the Clerk's office, and pay any associated bills for the certified copies. Inquirers must also submit a valid means of identification before they can request for certified copies of family court records.
Federal Court Records in Caddo Parish
The federal court records are not the same as the parish court records because they are records of matters heard in the federal judicial system as opposed to the state courts of Louisiana. These include federal criminal, bankruptcy, constitutional, civil rights, and cases involving federal agencies or interstate issues.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana handles federal cases within Caddo Parish. Federal court records are commonly accessed through the federal judiciary's Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system.
