Yes, divorce records are public in Louisiana. The state constitution and the Public Records Law give any adult the right to examine court files, and divorce cases are no exception. To get one, you go to the Clerk of Court in the parish where the divorce was granted and ask for the file. The clerk is required to produce it and cannot ask why you want it.1Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes 44:32 – Duty to Permit Examination
The Legal Basis for Open Access
Two layers of state law make this work. Article XII of the Louisiana Constitution says no person can be denied the right to examine public documents except in cases specifically established by law.2Louisiana State Senate. State Constitution of 1974 – Article XII General Provisions Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 44 then defines public records broadly enough to cover court filings created under state authority.3Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes 44:1
Under La. R.S. 44:32, the custodian (the parish Clerk of Court) must present any public record to any adult who asks. The only questions a clerk can put to you are to verify your age and identity, or to narrow a request that’s too vague to process. You don’t need to be a party to the case, a relative, or an attorney. Everything in the file is open by default: the petition, motions filed along the way, and the final judgment.
Divorce Decree or Divorce Certificate
Louisianans often mix these two up, and the mistake costs time.
A divorce decree is the court order that ended the marriage. It contains the actual terms the judge imposed: property division, spousal support, custody, child support. You need a certified decree whenever you have to enforce one of those terms or show the exact conditions of the divorce.4USAGov. How to Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree or Certificate The parish Clerk of Court is the only office that issues it.
A divorce certificate is a shorter vital record confirming that a divorce happened, with both names, the location, and the date. It’s often all you need for a name change or to prove you can remarry. In Louisiana, though, the state Vital Records Registry does not issue divorce certificates. The Louisiana Department of Health will send you back to the parish clerk.5Louisiana Department of Health. Marriage Certificates and Licenses For any divorce record, the parish clerk is your only source.
How to Request Records From the Parish Clerk
Requests go to the Clerk of Court in the parish where the divorce was finalized. There is no central statewide divorce database, so you have to identify the right parish. If you’re not sure, start where the couple last lived together, since most divorces are filed there.
Before you contact the clerk, pull together whatever you can:
- Both spouses’ full legal names as they appeared on the filing, including maiden names or prior surnames
- The parish where the divorce was granted
- The year of the judgment, or at least a narrow range
- The docket number, if you have it, which turns the search nearly instant
You can request the file in person, by mail with a completed form and payment, or through an online portal if the parish offers one. Walking in generally gets you same-day access. Mail requests take longer and depend on the parish’s workload. Most clerks post their forms and fee schedules on their websites.
Searching the Statewide Online Index
Louisiana runs a free statewide search portal through the Louisiana Clerks’ Remote Access Authority at eclerksla.com, covering all 64 parishes. You can search civil, family, and probate court indices, along with land records and marriage licenses.6eClerks LA. What Is the Louisiana Statewide Portal The index search itself costs nothing, so you can confirm a divorce exists and pin down the parish and case number before paying for anything.
Viewing or downloading the actual document images is a separate matter and may cost money set by the individual parish. Some charge per page for digital images; others sell daily or subscription access. If you only need to verify a divorce and find the right file, the free index is often enough.
What It Costs and How Long It Takes
Fees vary by parish, but the pattern is consistent. Uncertified copies typically run about $1.00 per page.7EBR Clerk of Court. East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court – Section: Public Records Request Notice A certified copy, which carries the clerk’s stamp and functions as legal proof, adds a certification fee. In Calcasieu Parish, certification is $10.00.8Calcasieu Clerk. Fees and Costs – Section: Civil Records Department Other parishes may charge somewhat more, so check the schedule before you send payment.
In person, you can usually leave with copies the same day. You can also examine records at the clerk’s office during regular business hours at no charge, which is worth knowing if you only need to read the file.7EBR Clerk of Court. East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court – Section: Public Records Request Notice Mail requests take longer, so build in extra time if you have a deadline.
What You Won’t See in the File
Public does not mean every detail is on display. As of January 1, 2026, Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 253 bars filings from including the first five digits of any Social Security number, tax identification numbers, state identification numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account numbers, or full dates of birth.9Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 253 Only the last four digits of Social Security and account numbers appear, and only the birth year shows.
Responsibility for stripping that information falls on the filer, not the clerk. If private information slipped through in an older filing, a party can ask the court to redact it after the fact.
When a Divorce Record Can Be Sealed
Sealing is a separate step that pulls part or all of a file out of public view. Louisiana courts can seal records under their inherent judicial authority, but the standard is strict.10Justia Law. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Article 191 – Inherent Judicial Power
The Louisiana Supreme Court set the controlling test in Copeland v. Copeland (2007). A party seeking to seal must show a specific privacy interest that outweighs the public’s constitutional right of access. General embarrassment is not enough. Any sealing order must be narrowly tailored.
In practice, courts rarely seal an entire divorce file. Judges are more willing to seal specific documents within a case, such as financial affidavits containing trade secrets, evidence tied to domestic violence where safety is a concern, or psychological evaluations of children. Targeted redaction or partial sealing has a far better chance than a request to lock down the whole record, which is routinely denied. You file the motion with the court that handled the divorce, identify exactly what you want sealed and why, and the motion itself stays under seal while the judge considers it.