Jefferson Parish Court Records
Jefferson Parish court records include all official documentation from civil, criminal, and traffic proceedings within the parish's judicial system.
Court records provide valuable information about local court cases. Consequently, they are frequently sourced by members of the public (researchers, historians, journalists, case parties) who wish to examine a case's events and outcomes, uncover relevant legal precedents, or study the legal process, among other reasons.
Under La. Rev. Stat. § 44:32, the custodian of Jefferson Parish court records is the Clerks of Court. The Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court, for instance, maintains most court records generated from adjudicative processes within the parish.
Are Court Records Public in Jefferson Parish?
Yes. Louisiana's Public Records Act (R.S. 44:1 - 44:41) establishes public access to court records maintained in Jefferson Parish. Following its provisions, any member of the public can review or copy public records in the custody of a Clerk of Court, including records of court proceedings.
However, the public does not have absolute access to all Jefferson Parish court records. Louisiana's open records law deems certain records confidential under R.S. 44:4.1(B) and prohibits them from public disclosure. For example, juvenile court records, documents bearing trade secrets or proprietary information, names of minors, information about sex offense victims, and sealed court records are exempt from public examination.
Where to Conduct a Jefferson Parish Case Lookup
The public can search for Jefferson Parish court cases via the following methods:
- An in-person request at the courthouse where a case occurred
- A written request to the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court (for parish, district, or juvenile case records) or other appropriate judicial administrator's office
- Remote access via the Case Search portal provided by the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court
How to Conduct a Jefferson Parish Case Records Search
Here's how to conduct a Jefferson Parish case records search utilizing the methods mentioned above:
- Visiting the Courthouse Where a Case Was Filed
Jefferson Parish has several courts, including district, juvenile, parish, justice of the peace, and mayor's courts. As such, anyone wanting to conduct an in-person case records search at the courthouse must first determine the presiding court, i.e., the court that received the filing or resolved the matter. (The Louisiana State Bar's Court Structure page has some information on court jurisdictions.)
Courthouse visits must occur during regular business hours. In many cases, requesters can review publicly available electronic records on public computers for free, or they may seek reviews of physical case records at the Clerk's department. Requesters must have pertinent information that can be used to find a case, such as a case number or case party's name.
Access to the Clerk's case records is typically free, but requesters must pay for copies requested or made (usually $1 per page for photocopies). One may contact the relevant Clerk's office for applicable research fees. For example, persons visiting the district, parish, or juvenile courts may contact the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court's Office at (504) 364-2900 or call the relevant court records department. The Clerk's Office can also guide callers on how to find court records in person.
It is advisable to contact the relevant judicial administrator's office before an in-person visit to determine if an appointment is required to review (or obtain copies of) court records. The contact information for an administrator is typically found on the elected official or applicable court's website.
- Written Request to a Judicial Administrator's Office
The Clerk or judicial administrator's offices may accept written requests from members of the public who want to search Jefferson Parish case records. When making such orders, the sender must include relevant information that the office can use to identify the specified records (e.g., a case number) and the applicable request fee. A self-addressed, stamped envelope may be required to return copies of records unless the requester opts for pick-up, fax, or email delivery (if offered).
- The Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court's Case Search Portal
Individuals can look up cases filed in or handled by the 24th Judicial District Court and parish courts through the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Court's JeffNet portal. Note that while the Clerk is the custodian of juvenile court records, such records are closed and unavailable for public review. A person must petition the juvenile court to examine a juvenile court record.
It is possible to review and download plain/certified copies of case records through the JeffNet portal, but a fee is assessed for such activities. Users may subscribe for 24-hour or monthly access by major credit card (VISA, American Express, or MasterCard). Subscription details and fees are available on the portal's homepage.
Individuals seeking information about hearings scheduled in the 24th Judicial District Court can search the court's docket online for free. Notably, only data for the previous 31 days from the current date is retrievable.
Jefferson Parish Civil Court Case Records
Civil court case records refer to all records and files preserved by the courts concerning civil court proceedings (for example, small claims, landlord-tenant, and torts).
In Jefferson Parish, the district, parish, juvenile, and justice courts have civil jurisdiction over specific non-criminal matters. As such, persons who want to obtain a civil case record should visit or contact the courthouse responsible for resolving the applicable matter. A court administrator (often the court clerk's office) can usually provide information on how to find court records in person or using other court-approved means.
Jefferson Parish Criminal Court Case Records
Criminal court case records in Jefferson County mean every document, paper, or material that the courts maintain because of a local criminal proceeding. These records may be stored by clerks in the district, parish, juvenile, mayor's, or justice courts, depending on the court that received a case filing or determined a defendant's guilt or innocence.
To obtain a Jefferson Parish criminal court case record, a person may visit the presiding courthouse or utilize other search/request methods stated previously.
How to Get Court Records Online for Free
Generally, the Jefferson Parish courts do not provide free access to court records online. Individuals who wish to examine court records at no charge must often visit the courthouse that heard the case. Courts usually permit free inspections of court records at their physical locations.
It is worth noting that finding court records online for free on third-party aggregator websites might be possible. Such websites typically allow public searches by a person's name (first and last) and the relevant city/state. However, a fee may be charged to retrieve extensive records.
Courts in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Below are the locations and contact numbers of courts in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana:
Jefferson Parish District Courts
24th Judicial District Court
Thomas F. Donelon Courthouse
200 Derbigny Street
Gretna, Louisiana 70053
Phone: (504) 364.3998
Jefferson Parish Juvenile Courts
Juvenile Court
1546 Gretna Boulevard
Harvey, LA 70058
Phone: (504) 367-3500
Parish Courts in Jefferson Parish
First Parish Court
924 David Drive
Metairie, LA 70003-5135
Phone: (504) 736-8900
Second Parish Court
100 Huey P Long Avenue
Gretna, LA 70053-5814
Phone: (504) 364-2800
Jefferson Parish Justice of the Peace Courts
First Justice Court
200 Derbigny Street
Room 2100
Gretna, LA 70053
Phone: (504) 364-2760
Second Justice Court
5001 Westbank Expressway C-4
Marrero, LA 70072
Phone: (504) 349-5407
Third Justice Court
2654 Jean Lafitte Boulevard
Lafitte, LA 70067
Phone: (504) 689-2208
Fourth Justice Court
P.O. Box 121
Grand Isle, LA 70358
Phone: (985) 787-4767
Fifth Justice Court
1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard
Suite 602
Jefferson, LA 70123
Phone: (504) 736-8714
Sixth Justice Court
1803 Williams Boulevard
4th Floor
Kenner, LA 70062
Phone: (504) 466-7984
Seventh Justice Court
4008 U.S. Highway 90
Avondale, LA 70094
Phone: (504) 349-5416
Eighth Justice Court
9014 Rousseau Street
Kenner, LA 70065
Phone: (504) 461-0130
Mayor's Courts
Mayor's courts (municipal-level courts) in Jefferson Parish include:
City of Gretna Mayor's Court
327 Huey P Long Avenue
Gretna, LA, 70053
Phone: (504) 227-7325
City of Harahan Mayor's Court
6437 Jefferson Highway
Harahan, LA 70123
Phone: (504) 737-5361
City of Kenner Mayor's Court
415 Williams Boulevard
Exhibition Hall
Kenner, LA 70062
Phone: (504) 468-7277
