Access Lafourche Parish Divorce Records
Lafourche Parish divorce records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Thibodaux and are public under Louisiana law. The clerk's office provides both in-person and online access to civil case records, including divorce filings and final judgments.
Lafourche Parish Quick Facts
Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court
The Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court maintains civil, criminal, and probate records for the 17th Judicial District. Divorce records fall under the civil category and are indexed by the names of the parties and the case number. The clerk's office is the sole official keeper of these records for Lafourche Parish, and all requests for access or copies go through this office.
The 17th Judicial District Court covers Lafourche Parish only. That single-parish structure means the clerk in Thibodaux holds all local records without any split between multiple parishes. If a divorce was filed in Lafourche Parish, the file is in Thibodaux.
| Court | Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court |
|---|---|
| Address | Thibodaux, LA |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM |
| Website | lafourcheclerk.com |
The Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court website includes a records search portal, forms, and contact information for the office in Thibodaux.
The Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court website provides access to online records and general information about courthouse services.
Start on the clerk's homepage to navigate to the records portal or find contact information before calling or visiting the office.
Online Records Search Portal
The records search portal provides online access to civil cases, criminal cases, and land records for Lafourche Parish. This is one of the more complete online tools among Louisiana parish clerk websites. You can search by name, case number, or other identifiers without visiting Thibodaux in person.
Civil case searches through the portal will return divorce case information including case numbers, party names, filing dates, and case status. Document images may or may not be available depending on when the case was filed and how records were digitized.
The Lafourche Parish records search portal lets you search civil, criminal, and land records for the parish online.
Use the records search portal as your first step when looking for a specific divorce case in Lafourche Parish before requesting copies from the clerk's office.
Criminal and Other Court Forms
The Lafourche Parish Clerk also maintains a criminal forms page that gives a sense of the full range of documents the office manages. While divorce is a civil matter, understanding the court's overall structure helps when navigating complex cases that may have both civil and criminal components.
The Lafourche Parish Clerk criminal section shows additional court forms and services offered by the office.
For civil matters like divorce, use the civil records section of the portal rather than the criminal section.
The Lafourche Parish Clerk alternate URL also leads to the clerk's main site and all its online tools.
Both lafourcheclerk.com and www.lafourcheclerk.com point to the same office and services.
Divorce in Louisiana: Key Rules
Louisiana Civil Code Article 102 requires a waiting period after a divorce petition is filed. The court cannot issue a final judgment until 180 days have passed, or 365 days if there are minor children. Civil Code Article 103 provides a faster path if the spouses have already been separated for the required time before filing.
Louisiana is a community property state. Civil Code Article 2325 mandates an equal split of all property and debts acquired during the marriage. Lafourche Parish divorce files often include community property settlement agreements and financial disclosures in addition to the petition and judgment.
Civil Code Article 3941 requires at least one spouse to be domiciled in Louisiana to use the state courts. For a Lafourche Parish filing, the party needs ties to the parish or to Louisiana more broadly.
How to Request Records In Person or By Mail
Visit the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court in Thibodaux during regular office hours. Bring the full names of both parties and an approximate filing year. Staff will search the index and pull the case file. Plain copies and certified copies are both available on-site.
For mail requests, write to the clerk's office address in Thibodaux. Include party names, the year of filing if known, the case number if you have it, and payment for copy fees. Standard Louisiana copy fees apply. Regular copies are about $1.00 per page, and certified copies carry an additional fee. Call the office to confirm current rates before mailing a request.
Public Records Law
Divorce records in Lafourche Parish are public under Louisiana R.S. 44:1. Anyone can view or request copies without stating a reason. The clerk must respond to a public records request within three days. Sealed records require a court order to access, but most divorce files are fully open to the public.
Legal Aid
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services provides free civil legal help for qualifying Lafourche Parish residents. Their main number is (504) 529-1000. They can assist with family law matters, divorce filings, and how to access court records.
Louisiana Law Help provides free online legal information and self-help resources for divorce and family law matters across Louisiana.
Nearby Parishes
Lafourche Parish is in southeast Louisiana. These neighboring parishes may also hold relevant records.