West Baton Rouge Parish Court Records Search
LouisianaCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on LouisianaCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
West Baton Rouge Parish sits just across the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge and operates a court system covering both the unincorporated parish and its municipalities of Port Allen, Brusly, and Addis. The parish courthouse in Port Allen is the central hub for most court activity, housing the clerk of court's office and the 18th Judicial District Court. Most court records generated here — from felony criminal case filings to civil judgments, probate proceedings, and property instruments — are maintained as official public records.
If you're looking for court case information in Louisiana, LouisianaCourts.us can help orient you toward publicly available resources across the state. West Baton Rouge Parish records may be searched through the clerk's official web portals, inspected in person at the courthouse, or obtained through a formal written request, depending on the type of record you need.
How to Look Up a Court Case in West Baton Rouge Parish?
The West Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court is the official record-keeper for all district court records in the parish and offers both in-person and online access options.
In-Person Access at the Clerk's Office
You can walk in to inspect court records during regular business hours — no appointment is needed, and inspection is free. Fees apply only when you request copies.
West Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court:
| Address | 850 8th Street, P.O. Box 107, Port Allen, LA 70767 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (225) 383-0378 |
| Fax | (225) 383-3694 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
Online Civil Records — ClerkConnect
As of June 19, 2024, civil record searches and images are handled through the ClerkConnect portal. If you had an existing subscription to the clerk's previous eSearch system, you'll need to create a new ClerkConnect account. The portal provides subscription-based access to civil case records, images, and related documents for the district court.
Online Conveyance, Mortgage, and Property Records
The clerk's office also maintains an online index for conveyance, mortgage, and map records through its legacy eSearch portal, which covers miscellaneous indexes including marriages, oaths of office, and charters. Document images for most conveyance, mortgage, and map records are available for purchase online.
Multi-Parish Online Access — eClerksLA
Louisiana's clerks of court have formed the Louisiana Clerks Remote Access Authority (LCRAA), which allows users to search conveyance and mortgage indexes across multiple Louisiana parishes through a single portal, eClerksLA.
Mail Requests
Written records requests may also be submitted by mail to the clerk's office at the address above. Include the name of the case party or case number, specify the documents you need, and include payment for applicable copy fees.
Are Court Records Public in West Baton Rouge Parish?
Louisiana's Public Records Law (La. R.S. 44:1 et seq.) gives any person the right to inspect or copy records held by public bodies, including courts. That presumption of openness covers the vast majority of criminal and civil court records held by the West Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court.
That said, several categories of records are withheld from public access under state law and court rules:
- Juvenile court records
- Adoption records
- Protective orders
- Mental health evaluations ordered by a court
- Records protected by patient–privilege laws
- Documents submitted to or used in proceedings before the Judiciary Commission
- Court records pertaining to participants in specialty court programs, including drug courts
- Records sealed by order of the court
- Any record designated as confidential by Louisiana statute or constitution
If you believe access to a record has been improperly denied, you may seek judicial review by filing a writ of mandamus in the district court under La. R.S. 44:35. If the court finds the record was withheld in violation of the law, it may order disclosure. Louisiana law does not recognize exceptions to the Public Records Law that are not expressly stated in the statute or the state constitution.
West Baton Rouge Parish Criminal Court Records
The 18th Judicial District Court is the primary trial court for criminal matters in West Baton Rouge Parish. The 18th JDC covers three parishes — West Baton Rouge, Pointe Coupee, and Iberville — and is presided over by four elected judges (Divisions A through D). Felony-level criminal cases, including prosecutions for serious crimes, originate here.
Lower-level criminal matters — misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and municipal ordinance violations — are handled by the Port Allen City Court and the mayor's courts in Brusly and Addis.
Criminal Background Searches
The clerk's office offers a formal criminal background search service. The fee for a search with a certified copy per name is $20.00, conducted by clerk staff.
Expungements
For felony or misdemeanor expungements, the filing fee is $200.00 per arrest with the clerk. Additionally, Louisiana law requires the clerk to collect the following separate payments — each in the form of a cashier's check or money order:
- $250.00 to the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Criminal Identification
- $50.00 to the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office
- $50.00 to the 18th JDC District Attorney's Office
Arrest Records and Inmate Information
Arrest records and current jail population information are maintained by the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, not the district court clerk. The Sheriff's Office operates a public inmate search tool on its website. For criminal records and warrant inquiries, contact:
Criminal Records/Warrants — Sheriff's Office:
| Contact | Abby Dupuy, Criminal Records/Warrants |
|---|---|
| Address | 850 8th Street, Port Allen, LA 70767 |
| Phone | (225) 389-2306 |
| Fax | (225) 344-1004 |
| Abby.Hebert@wbrsheriff.org |
The Sheriff's Office main number is (225) 343-9234, and administrative hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Criminal Copy Fees (District Court Clerk):
| Copy Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certified copy (per item) | $5.00 |
| Conformed/stamped copy (per item) | $3.00 |
| Paper copy (per page) | $1.00 |
| Faxed copy (first page) | $5.00 |
| Faxed copy (each additional page) | $2.00 |
| Extract of court minutes (per item) | $5.00 |
West Baton Rouge Parish Civil Court Records
Civil matters — including contract disputes, personal injury claims, property litigation, and small claims — are handled by the 18th Judicial District Court and the Port Allen City Court, depending on the dollar amount and nature of the dispute. The Port Allen City Court has jurisdiction over civil matters within its monetary limits and also handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and small claims.
Port Allen City Court:
| Address | 330 South Alexander Avenue, P.O. Box 93, Port Allen, LA 70767 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (225) 346-4702 |
| Fax | (225) 379-3266 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Judge | Hon. William T. Kleinpeter |
Mayor's Courts:
Brusly Mayor's Court
Address: 601 South Vaughan Street, P.O. Box 510, Brusly, LA 70719
Phone: (225) 749-2909 | Fax: (225) 749-3874
Addis Mayor's Court
Address: 7818 LA Highway 1 South, P.O. Box 237, Addis, LA 70710
Phone: (225) 687-4844
Civil Filing Fees (Advance Deposit — District Court):
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Original petition (no service) | $325.00 |
| Original petition (with one service) | $325.00 |
| Original petition with TRO or Rule | $375.00–$425.00 |
| Additional defendants (per service) | $125.00 |
| Subsequent pleadings (no service) | $100.00 |
| Subsequent pleadings (with one service) | $225.00 |
Civil Copy Fees:
| Copy Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Copy fees per page (customer-made) | $1.00 |
| Certified copies (per item) | $5.00 |
| Stamped/conformed copies (per item) | $3.00 |
| Faxed copies (first page) | $6.00 |
| Faxed copies (each additional page) | $4.00 |
| Minute entries | $5.00 |
Property Records
Property records — conveyances, mortgage instruments, liens, and plats — are recorded with and maintained by the District Court Clerk, and they are generally public. In addition to the clerk's online portals, the West Baton Rouge Parish Assessor maintains property appraisal and tax assessment information, searchable by owner name or parcel through the Assessor's Property Search tool.
Recording Fees (Clerk of Court):
| Document Length | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1–5 pages | $105.00 |
| 6–25 pages | $205.00 |
| 26–50 pages | $305.00 |
| 51+ pages | $305.00 + $5.00 per additional page |
Fees include up to 10 indexed names, a certified copy, and the LCRAA portal fee. Each name after the 10th costs an additional $5.00.
West Baton Rouge Parish Family Court Records
Family law matters — including divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, and protective orders — are heard in the 18th Judicial District Court. All related records are maintained by the District Court Clerk.
Divorce Records
Divorce records are publicly available for examination, though sensitive personal details may be redacted before release. Copies follow the standard civil fee schedule — $1.00 per page for standard copies and $5.00 per certified copy. You can search for divorce records through the ClerkConnect portal or by visiting the clerk's office in person.
Marriage Records
The District Court Clerk issues and records marriage licenses. Marriage records are maintained in the clerk's conveyance and miscellaneous indexes and can be searched through the clerk's online portals. Because Louisiana is a closed-records state for vital records, certified copies of marriage certificates are restricted to eligible parties — primarily the spouses or other court-authorized persons. If you only need to inspect a marriage record without a certified copy, you can do so at the clerk's office during regular business hours.
Birth Records
Birth records in West Baton Rouge Parish are strictly confidential for 100 years from the year of birth under La. R.S. 40:36. After that period, records transfer to the Louisiana State Archives, where the public can search the Louisiana Birth Records Index online.
For recent birth records still under the confidentiality restriction, eligible requesters — including the registrant, a parent named on the record, a spouse, adult children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, and authorized attorneys — may obtain a certificate from the District Court Clerk. The clerk searches a state-central vital records database and prints and certifies the record. If the record cannot be located in that database, applicants must order directly from the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).
LDH Vital Records Fee Schedule (current as of 2025):
| Document | Fee |
|---|---|
| Birth Certificate | $15.00 per copy |
| Birth Certificate + Birth Card (short form/long form pair) | $24.00 per pair |
| Clerk of Court issued Long-Form Birth Certificate | $34.00 per copy |
| Clerk of Court issued Short-Form + Long-Form pair | $48.00 per pair |
| Death Certificate | $7.00 per copy |
| Clerk of Court issued Death Certificate | $26.00 per copy |
A $0.50 state charge is added to all mail-in and VitalChek orders. For LDH orders, call the Customer Service Hotline at (504) 593-5100 or visit ldh.la.gov.
West Baton Rouge Parish Probate Court Records
Probate proceedings in West Baton Rouge Parish — covering the administration of decedents' estates, successions, wills, guardianships, and conservatorships — are handled by the 18th Judicial District Court. The District Court Clerk maintains all probate case records and is the point of contact for accessing them.
How to Access Probate Records:
- In Person — Visit the clerk's office at 850 8th Street, Port Allen, during regular business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). Bring the decedent's name, approximate date of death, or a known case number to help with the search. Inspection is free; copy fees apply as outlined in the civil fee schedule.
- Online — Civil and probate case records are accessible through the ClerkConnect portal. Subscriptions are required for full search and image-access capabilities.
- By Mail — Written requests may be submitted to the clerk's office. Include sufficient identifying information, specify the documents you need, and enclose payment for copy fees. Certified copies of probate documents cost $5.00 per item; standard copies cost $1.00 per page.
Death records needed for succession proceedings — where the decedent's death occurred within the last 50 years — are restricted and available only to eligible parties, including the surviving spouse, parents, adult children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, legal representatives, and authorized insurance or trust beneficiaries. If the District Court Clerk cannot locate the death record in the state database, contact the Louisiana Department of Health directly. Death certificates cost $7.00 per copy from LDH, or $26.00 per copy when issued by the Clerk of Court.