Find Ascension Parish Family Court Records

Family court records in Ascension Parish are kept at the Clerk of Court offices in Donaldsonville and Gonzales. The 23rd Judicial District Court handles all family law cases for this fast-growing parish near Baton Rouge. Whether you need a divorce judgment, custody order, or support filing, the clerk's office can help you find it. Ascension Parish offers both in-person access at two locations and online search through the ACCESS system and Clerk Connect portal. This makes it one of the more accessible parishes for records requests.

Ascension Parish Clerk of Court

The Ascension Parish Clerk of Court has two offices. The main office is at 300 Houmas Street in Donaldsonville. The Gonzales office handles civil cases at 607 East Worthey Street on the first floor. Criminal and minute clerk matters go through the building at 828 South Irma Boulevard, Building 2, in Gonzales. You can reach the Donaldsonville office at (225) 473-9866 and the Gonzales office at (225) 621-8400. For civil suit questions, use extension 2 at the Gonzales number.

Both offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Walk-ins are welcome. The clerk's email for general questions is bhanna@ascensionclerk.com. For civil suit matters, you can email june@ascensioncourthouse.org. Staff at either location can look up family court records and make copies for you.

The Ascension Parish Clerk of Court website shows available services and contact information for both office locations.

Under La. R.S. 44:1, most court records are public in Louisiana. You have the right to ask for copies. Some records like adoption files are sealed by law, but divorce, custody, and support filings are generally open to anyone who asks.

23rd Judicial District Court Family Cases

Ascension Parish is part of the 23rd Judicial District Court. This district also covers Assumption Parish and St. James Parish. Each parish has its own clerk of court, but all three share the same district court system. Family law cases filed in Ascension Parish go before judges in the 23rd Judicial District.

The 23rd Judicial District Court website has information on court forms and procedures for family law cases.

The types of family court records filed in this district include divorce cases, child custody determinations, child support orders, spousal support, paternity cases, protection orders, adoption records, and marriage licenses. Divorce is the most frequent filing. Louisiana Civil Code Article 102 requires a 180-day waiting period after filing, or 365 days if there are minor children. Article 103 allows an immediate judgment if the couple has already been apart for the required time. These rules apply to all cases filed through the Ascension Parish Clerk of Court.

Ascension Parish Family Court Records Online

Ascension Parish has its own electronic search system called ACCESS. That stands for Ascension Clerk Electronic Search System. This tool lets you search court records by name or case number. A subscription costs $50 per month or $500 per year. If you do not want to pay for a subscription, you can use the free public terminals at either the Donaldsonville or Gonzales office. Just walk in during business hours and use the computer at the counter.

The Clerk Connect portal is another way to search Ascension Parish records online. This statewide tool covers many Louisiana parishes.

The eClerks Louisiana portal may also have Ascension Parish data available for search. Between ACCESS, Clerk Connect, and eClerks, this parish offers more online options than most. If you know the case number, searches go fast. If you only have a name, the system can still pull up matching cases. Protection orders filed in Ascension Parish also show up on the Louisiana Protective Order Registry, which is a separate statewide database.

The eClerks Louisiana system provides another avenue for searching Ascension Parish court filings from any computer.

Ascension Parish Record Fees

The Ascension Parish Clerk of Court charges set fees for records. A search for a civil or family court record costs $15.00. Standard copies are $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $5.00 per document. These fees can change, so call ahead to confirm. The clerk accepts various forms of payment at the office.

If you need certified copies for a legal matter, budget for the extra cost. A certified copy has the clerk's seal and stamp. Courts, government agencies, and banks often require this version. Plain copies work fine for personal reference. For people with low income, Louisiana law allows you to file an In Forma Pauperis motion to ask the court to waive fees. The clerk can give you the form for this.

Note: The ACCESS online system has its own subscription fee of $50 per month or $500 per year, separate from copy and search fees.

Family Law in Ascension Parish

Family court cases in Ascension Parish follow Louisiana state law. La. R.S. 46:2131 covers protective orders for domestic abuse situations. A person can go to the clerk's office and file for a temporary restraining order. The court will hold a hearing within days to decide if a longer order is needed. Child support is calculated using the guidelines in La. R.S. 9:315, which factors in both parents' income. Community property rules under Louisiana Civil Code Article 2325 mean that assets gained during the marriage are split equally unless the parties agree to something else.

Louisiana Civil Code Article 3941 sets the rules on where to file a family court case. You must file in the parish where the defendant lives, or in some cases, where either spouse is domiciled. For Ascension Parish residents, that means filing at the clerk's office in Donaldsonville or Gonzales. The 23rd Judicial District Court has jurisdiction over the case from there.

Legal Help in Ascension Parish

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services covers Ascension Parish and can provide free legal help to people who qualify based on income. They handle divorce, custody, support, and protection order cases. Call 211 to check if you are eligible. The Louisiana State Bar Association also has a lawyer referral service that can connect you with a family law attorney in the area.

For self-help, Louisiana Law Help offers free forms and guides for people who want to handle their own family court case. The clerk's office can provide blank forms but cannot give legal advice. Many people in Ascension Parish file their own divorce when both sides agree on the terms. This is sometimes called an uncontested divorce, and it tends to be faster and cheaper than a contested one.

Cities in Ascension Parish

Ascension Parish includes Gonzales, Donaldsonville, Sorrento, and the communities of Prairieville and Geismar. All family court cases go through the Ascension Parish Clerk of Court. Residents of Prairieville file their cases at the Gonzales office location.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border Ascension Parish. Check your address to make sure you file in the correct parish for your family court case.