Caddo Parish Court Dates: District and City Court Dockets

To find Caddo Parish court dates, you’ll use one of two separate online systems depending on which court has your case: the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court website for First Judicial District Court matters, or Shreveport City Court’s own portal for traffic tickets, misdemeanors, small claims, and evictions. The two courts don’t share a database, so identifying the right one is the first step.

Figure Out Which Court Has Your Case

The First Judicial District Court handles felony criminal cases, larger civil lawsuits, and all family law matters such as divorce and child custody. It operates three divisions (civil, family law, and criminal), each split into lettered sections with an assigned judge.1Louisiana Supreme Court. Rules of the First Judicial District Court

Shreveport City Court handles civil disputes worth $35,000 or less, small claims up to $5,000, evictions, misdemeanor criminal charges, traffic violations, and municipal ordinance violations within Shreveport city limits.2City of Shreveport. Shreveport City Court – Civil Division3Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Art 4843 – City Court Jurisdiction

Felony arrest or divorce? District Court. Traffic ticket or eviction? City Court. If you’re not sure, look at your paperwork. The summons, citation, or bond documents name the court.

What You Need Before You Search

The fastest search uses your case number, sometimes called a suit number or docket number. It appears on any paperwork from the court, your attorney, or law enforcement.

Without a case number, search by the full legal name of a party. Knowing the judge or the section (for example, Section A of the Civil Division) narrows the results but isn’t required. What you can’t skip is one identifier: neither system returns useful results from a blank search.

Searching First Judicial District Court Dates

The Caddo Parish Clerk of Court maintains the official records at caddoclerk.com.4Caddo Parish Government. Caddo Parish Clerk of Court Two tools matter for finding a court date:

  • The Civil Court weekly schedule shows the general pattern of proceedings by day of the week rather than listing individual cases. For a specific civil hearing, you’ll usually need to call the Clerk’s office or check with your attorney.5Caddo Parish Clerk of Court. Civil Court Weekly Schedule
  • The criminal records page links to a searchable database where you can pull individual case details by name or case number.6Caddo Parish Clerk of Court. Criminal

Searching Shreveport City Court Dates

Shreveport City Court runs a separate system. The Criminal/Traffic Division handles inquiries about court dates, fines, and case status for misdemeanors and traffic tickets, and the court also offers an online payment portal you can use to look up a citation and confirm whether the matter is still pending.7City of Shreveport. Criminal / Traffic Division

One thing about traffic tickets that catches people off guard: the date printed on the citation is usually a deadline to respond, not necessarily a court appearance. If you plead not guilty, the court sets a separate trial date. Ignoring the citation can lead to additional penalties, and traffic convictions are reported to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles.7City of Shreveport. Criminal / Traffic Division

For City Court civil matters, contact information and general procedures are posted on the Civil Division page.2City of Shreveport. Shreveport City Court – Civil Division

Reading the Docket

Court dockets use shorthand. “Div.” is division. “Sec.” is the section, such as Sec. A or Sec. B. “Cont.” means the matter was continued, or postponed. The listing usually includes a courtroom or room number.

If your case shows “Cont.” on the docket, the original date no longer applies. Call the Clerk’s office to get the new one.

Confirming a Date by Phone

Online tools don’t always catch last-minute changes. For official confirmation, call or visit:

Reconfirm a few days before your appearance. Continuances shift dates, and online calendars may not update right away.

If You Can’t Make the Date

If you know ahead of time you can’t appear, ask the court to reschedule by filing a motion for continuance. In civil cases, Louisiana law allows a continuance on “good ground,” giving judges broad discretion.8Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Art 1601 – Discretionary Grounds In criminal cases, the rules are stricter. A continuance based on a missing witness, for instance, must explain what the witness would testify to, why the testimony is necessary, and what efforts were made to get the witness to court.9Justia Law. Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Art 709 – Continuance Based on Absence of a Witness

File the motion before the hearing date and get the court’s approval. Skipping the appearance and planning to ask later does not work. If you have an attorney, they’ll handle the filing; if you’re representing yourself, the Clerk’s office can point you to the right form.

If You Miss It

Consequences depend on whether the case is criminal or civil.

Criminal Cases

Failing to appear is treated as “jumping bail” under Louisiana law, meaning the intentional failure to appear at the date, time, and place ordered by the court.10Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes 14-110.1 – Jumping Bail The judge issues a bench warrant for your arrest. Within 60 days, the Clerk of Court sends written notice of the warrant to you, the prosecutor, and any bail agent or surety.11Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Art 334 – Notice of Warrant for Arrest If you posted bond, the prosecutor can move for a bond forfeiture judgment after 180 days without an appearance or surrender.12Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure Art 335 A bench warrant doesn’t expire on its own.

Civil Cases

If you don’t answer or appear within the required time, the plaintiff can present evidence and ask the court to rule in their favor without you.13Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure Art 1702 – Default Judgment If you’ve already made an appearance in the case, the plaintiff must send certified mail notice at least seven days before requesting a default. If you’ve never appeared, that protection doesn’t apply. The result can be a money judgment, an eviction order, or other relief entered entirely in your absence.

When you’re unsure whether a date is still on the calendar, call and check. Guessing wrong costs far more than the phone call.