Caddo Parish Public Records Database
Caddo Parish public records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Shreveport, Louisiana, with property records from 1839, marriage records from 1838, and civil and criminal court filings going back to the parish's formation from Natchitoches Parish in 1838. Under La. R.S. 44:1 and Louisiana Constitution Article XII, Section 3, any person has the right to inspect and copy public records held by government bodies including the clerk of court. This page covers the Caddo Parish public records system, how to search records online through ClerkConnect, what fees apply, and how to request documents in person or by mail at 501 Texas Street in Shreveport.
Caddo Parish Quick Facts
Caddo Parish Clerk of Court
Mike Spence serves as the Clerk of Court for Caddo Parish. The office is at 501 Texas Street, Room 103, Shreveport, LA 71101. Main phone is (318) 226-6776. Fax is (318) 227-9080. The general email is mike.spence@caddoclerk.com. For copy requests, use copies@caddoclerk.com. For criminal public records requests specifically, contact Dianne.Doughty@caddoclerk.com. The Marriage Department can be reached at (318) 226-6789 or marriage@caddoclerk.com. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, except legal holidays. Note that Caddo's hours run until 5:00 PM, an hour later than most Louisiana parish clerks.
The clerk's website at caddoclerk.com provides access to online records, filing information, fee schedules, and department contacts. Caddo Parish is one of the larger clerk operations in northwestern Louisiana, serving a parish with roughly 250,000 residents and an active court system. The office handles a high volume of property, civil, and criminal filings each year.
Public access terminals are available at the office for in-person record searches. The clerk's staff can assist with locating records by name, case number, or book and page reference.
The Caddo Parish Clerk of Court website at caddoclerk.com is the main resource for public records in Shreveport and Caddo Parish.
The site provides direct links to online records, department contacts, and fee schedules for all major record types held by the clerk's office.
Online Access to Caddo Parish Public Records
Caddo Parish public records are available online through ClerkConnect. This subscription service provides remote access to civil, criminal, and land records. Subscription options include $20 per day, $50 per month, or $500 per year. Copies are $0.60 per printed page or $1 per computer printout. Certifying a copy adds $5 per document. E-recording and e-filing are available through the same system.
For free index searches, the LCRAA statewide portal at laclerksportal.org covers Caddo Parish records alongside all 64 Louisiana parishes. This is a good starting point when you need to check whether a record exists before committing to a ClerkConnect subscription or an in-person trip to Shreveport.
Searches can be done by name, case number, book and page reference, or date. Public access terminals at the clerk's office at 501 Texas Street provide another route for on-site searches. Many attorneys and title companies working in Shreveport use ClerkConnect for daily access to Caddo Parish records.
Note: Online index results may not reflect the most recent filings. New records can take several days to appear after they are filed with the clerk. For very recent filings, call the office at (318) 226-6776.
Property Records in Caddo Parish
Property records for Caddo Parish begin in 1839, the year after the parish was formed. The Mortgage and Conveyance Index Books are kept in the Record Room of the Caddo Parish Clerk's Office at 501 Texas Street. These indexes are used by attorneys, title examiners, and the general public when researching land ownership, clearing title, or investigating liens and encumbrances.
Every real estate transaction in Caddo Parish must be recorded with the clerk to be legally binding. The conveyance records document each transfer in the chain of title for every parcel in the parish. Mortgage records show all liens and encumbrances recorded against a property. Both are fully public and searchable by grantor and grantee names.
The property records section at caddoclerk.com/records.htm explains what land records are available and how to search them at the Caddo Parish Clerk's office.
This page is the starting point for attorneys and title examiners who need to research Caddo Parish land records going back to 1839.
Online property searches are available through ClerkConnect and through the clerk's website. For certified copies of deeds or mortgage documents, in-person or mail requests are standard. Copy fees are $1 per page for standard copies and $5 to certify each document.
Civil and Criminal Court Records
Civil and criminal court records from the 1st Judicial District Court in Shreveport are filed with and maintained by the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court. Civil cases cover suits, property disputes, contract matters, family law including divorces and successions, and civil judgments. All are public under La. R.S. 44:1 unless sealed by a judge.
Criminal records include felony and misdemeanor charges filed in Caddo Parish, plus arraignment minutes, plea records, trial proceedings, and final dispositions. These are public unless sealed. Juvenile records are generally closed. For criminal public records requests, use the dedicated contact: Dianne.Doughty@caddoclerk.com. For all other public records requests, contact Mike.Spence@caddoclerk.com directly.
A criminal background search at the clerk's office costs $20 per name. This covers a search of Caddo Parish court records. For a statewide criminal history report covering all 64 parishes, the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information provides records under La. R.S. 15:588 through the Louisiana State Police. That is a separate process from the clerk's office.
Arrest records from the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office and the Shreveport Police Department are held by those agencies and are distinct from court case records maintained by the clerk.
Marriage Records in Caddo Parish
The Caddo Parish Clerk of Court issues marriage licenses and has marriage records going back to 1838. That makes Caddo Parish one of the earliest marriage records in the state. If a marriage took place in Caddo Parish, the record is on file at 501 Texas Street in Shreveport. Contact the Marriage Department directly at (318) 226-6789 or marriage@caddoclerk.com for requests and fee information.
The marriage records section at caddoclerk.com/marriage.htm provides current details on what is required to get a marriage license in Caddo Parish and how to obtain a copy of a marriage record. These records are part of the public record and can be requested in person or by mail.
The marriage records page at caddoclerk.com/marriage.htm outlines the process for getting a Caddo Parish marriage license and requesting copies of existing marriage records.
Caddo Parish marriage records go back to 1838, making this a valuable resource for genealogy research involving northwest Louisiana families.
Vital Records: Birth and Death Certificates
Birth and death certificates are available through the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court. The fee for a birth certificate is $34. A birth certificate and birth card together cost $48 and are sold as a pair only under Act 270. A death certificate costs $26. Payment must be in cash or by credit card. The clerk's office at 501 Texas Street in Shreveport handles these requests during regular business hours.
More information is at caddoclerk.com/birth.htm. For historical vital records, the Louisiana Secretary of State maintains an online vital records index at sos.la.gov covering older records from Caddo Parish and across Louisiana. This is particularly useful for genealogy research involving families from the Shreveport area going back to the 1800s.
Note: Louisiana statewide vital records registration began in 1914. For events before that date, the clerk's older records and the Secretary of State's archives are the primary sources.
How to Request Caddo Parish Public Records
To request Caddo Parish public records, visit the clerk's office at 501 Texas Street, Room 103, Shreveport, LA 71101, Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. For online searches, use ClerkConnect at clerkconnect.com or the LCRAA portal at laclerksportal.org. Mail requests should go to the same address: 501 Texas Street, Room 103, Shreveport, LA 71101.
For all records requests, provide as much detail as possible: names of parties, record type, approximate date or date range, and case number if known. There is a $1 per page charge for any copies made. Certified copies are $5 each. For formal public records requests under Louisiana law, follow the process described at caddoclerk.com/request.htm.
Under La. R.S. 44:1, the clerk 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 under La. R.S. 44:4 are narrow and cover things like juvenile records, tax returns, and certain health information. The default for Caddo Parish public records is open access. The Louisiana Secretary of State handles state-level records including business filings, notary records, and election information.
Nearby Parishes
Caddo Parish is in the far northwest corner of Louisiana. Records from neighboring parishes may be relevant for property research, court matters, or genealogy involving the greater Shreveport region.