New Orleans Public Records
New Orleans public records are maintained by the Orleans Parish Clerk of Court, which operates separate divisions for civil and criminal matters across two courthouse locations in the city. Louisiana's public records law under La. R.S. 44:1 and Louisiana Constitution Article XII, Section 3 gives any person the right to inspect and copy records held by public bodies. This page covers where to find New Orleans public records, how the Orleans Parish clerk's office works, and what records are available online or by request.
New Orleans Quick Facts
Orleans Parish Clerk of Court
Public records for New Orleans are handled by the Orleans Parish Clerk of Court, which operates through two distinct court systems. Civil District Court handles civil cases and is located at 421 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112. Phone for civil records is (504) 592-9100. Criminal District Court is at 2700 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119. Both offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, except legal holidays.
The Orleans Clerk of Court website at clerkofcourt.org is the main online resource for New Orleans public records. The site provides access to court record searches, case indexes, and filing information. Orleans Parish operates its own online records system, which is separate from the statewide ClerkConnect platform used by many other Louisiana parishes. This reflects the unique structure of New Orleans as a city-parish consolidated government.
Note: Orleans Parish has a consolidated city-parish government. This means some functions that other parishes split between separate city and parish offices are handled by a single set of agencies in New Orleans.
Online Access to New Orleans Public Records
The Orleans Parish Clerk of Court provides online record searches through clerkofcourt.org. Civil court case records, including suits, judgments, and succession filings, are searchable on this site by party name or case number. The system covers a broad range of civil matters filed in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court.
The Louisiana Clerks statewide portal (LCRAA) at laclerksportal.org indexes Orleans Parish records alongside filings from all 64 Louisiana parishes. This is a free tool and a good starting point when you are not sure which record system holds what you need. The eClerks LA platform also provides access to certain court documents for Orleans Parish.
The statewide LCRAA portal at laclerksportal.org covers New Orleans public records as part of its free statewide index of court and property filings.
Using this portal is a fast way to check for a record before making a trip to either New Orleans courthouse location.
ClerkConnect at clerkconnect.com provides another route for subscription-based access to Louisiana court and property records. Professionals who search Orleans Parish records frequently often use one of these online tools to avoid repeated courthouse visits.
Civil Court Records in New Orleans
Civil District Court in New Orleans handles lawsuits, contract disputes, property claims, family law matters, successions, and civil judgments. All of these are public under La. R.S. 44:1. The Civil District Court clerk's office at 421 Loyola Avenue maintains the case files, dockets, and judgment records for civil proceedings in Orleans Parish.
Succession and probate records are an especially significant part of the New Orleans civil record system given the city's long history and the volume of estate matters that pass through the courts each year. These records document wills, inventories of estates, and judgments of possession. They are public and can be searched online or in person.
To access civil records, use the online search at clerkofcourt.org, call (504) 592-9100, or visit the Civil District Court at 421 Loyola Avenue during business hours. Copies cost $1 per page. Staff can help locate specific case files once you have a name or case number.
Criminal Court Records in New Orleans
Criminal case records from Orleans Parish are maintained at the Criminal District Court at 2700 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119. These records cover felony charges, misdemeanor cases, arraignments, pleas, trial proceedings, and final dispositions. They are public under Louisiana law unless a judge has ordered them sealed or restricted. Juvenile records are generally not public.
Orleans Parish has its own criminal court system separate from the civil courts. This is distinct from how many smaller Louisiana parishes operate. When researching criminal matters in New Orleans, you need to go to the Criminal District Court rather than the Civil District Court at Loyola Avenue.
For a statewide criminal history background check, La. R.S. 15:588 authorizes the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information to provide criminal history records through the Louisiana State Police. That report covers filings from all 64 parishes. Arrest records from the New Orleans Police Department are held separately by that agency.
Property and Land Records
Property conveyances, mortgages, and liens in Orleans Parish are recorded with the Clerk of Court. Every real estate transaction in New Orleans must be recorded to be legally effective. These records are public and can be searched by name through the clerk's office or online. The Orleans Parish Assessor also maintains property assessment and ownership data that complements the clerk's conveyance records.
New Orleans has a long and complex real estate history. Property records here can go back many generations and are frequently needed for title searches, boundary disputes, and succession research. Attorneys and title companies working in New Orleans rely on these records regularly. Online access through clerkofcourt.org and the LCRAA portal makes many searches possible without a courthouse visit.
The ClerkConnect platform provides subscription-based access to Orleans Parish property and court records for professionals who conduct frequent searches.
A ClerkConnect subscription is one option for attorneys and title examiners who search New Orleans records on a regular basis.
Marriage Licenses and Vital Records
Marriage licenses for New Orleans are issued by the Orleans Parish Clerk of Court. Records of marriages performed in Orleans Parish are on file with the clerk. Contact clerkofcourt.org or call (504) 592-9100 for current marriage license requirements and fee information.
Orleans Parish has its own vital records system that differs from many other Louisiana parishes. Birth and death records for events in New Orleans are maintained by the Louisiana Department of Health, but some historical vital records are also accessible through the Louisiana Secretary of State's archives at sos.la.gov/historicalresources/. The online vital records index at the Secretary of State's site is a useful resource for genealogy research covering older New Orleans records.
For certified copies of recent birth or death records from New Orleans, contact the Louisiana Department of Health. The state, not the parish clerk, holds those records.
How to Request New Orleans Public Records
For New Orleans public records, start with the online search at clerkofcourt.org. For civil records or property filings, the Civil District Court at 421 Loyola Avenue is your in-person location. For criminal records, go to the Criminal District Court at 2700 Tulane Avenue. Both offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Mail requests are also accepted. Write a letter describing the records you need, including party names, approximate dates, and record type. Include payment for copy fees. Under La. R.S. 44:1, custodians must respond promptly to public records requests. Louisiana Constitution Article XII, Section 3 gives every person a constitutional right of access to public records. Exemptions exist under La. R.S. 44:4 for things like juvenile records and certain health information, but the default rule is public access.
The Louisiana Secretary of State at sos.la.gov holds state-level records relevant to New Orleans including business filings, notary commissions, and historical archives.
Business entity searches, notary records, and election data for Orleans Parish are all available through the Secretary of State's website.
Nearby Cities
New Orleans is part of a larger metro area. Records from nearby cities may be relevant for property research, family history, or court matters that cross parish lines.