Caddo Parish Family Court Records

Caddo Parish family court records are held at the Clerk of Court office in Shreveport. The 1st Judicial District Court handles divorce, custody, child support, and protection order cases for this parish. You can search Caddo Parish family court records through the clerk's office or use online tools to look up case details. The office sits at 501 Texas Street in downtown Shreveport and serves one of the largest parishes in northwest Louisiana. Staff at the clerk's office can help you find both old and new case files tied to family law matters in Caddo Parish.

Caddo Parish Clerk of Court

The Caddo Parish Clerk of Court manages all family court records in the parish. This office stores divorce filings, custody orders, child support cases, and protection order documents. You can reach the clerk at 501 Texas Street, Room 103, in Shreveport. The phone number is (318) 226-6780. Hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

The Caddo Parish Clerk of Court website has information about court records and services. You can email the office at copies@caddoclerk.com to ask about records or request copies. The clerk handles marriage records, divorce filings, domestic and family cases, civil suits, and criminal matters. For family court records, the clerk's office is your main point of contact in Caddo Parish.

The clerk keeps case files that go back many years. You can search by name or case number. Bring a valid ID when you visit in person. Staff can pull files and make copies while you wait.

Search Caddo Parish Family Court Records Online

Caddo Parish offers online access to family court records through the Clerk Connect portal. This tool lets you search court records from home. You can look up divorce cases, custody filings, and other family law matters without going to the courthouse. The portal is run by a statewide service that covers many Louisiana parishes.

The Caddo Parish Clerk website provides information on how to search records. For online case searches, the Clerk Connect portal gives access to court records across the parish. Pricing for Clerk Connect runs $20 per day, $50 per month, or $500 per year. These fees cover searches of all record types in the system, not just family court cases. Criminal background checks cost $20 per name through the same service.

The Clerk Connect system is useful for attorneys, title companies, and people who need to check family court records on a regular basis. A single day pass works fine if you just need to look up one case.

You can also use the Louisiana eClerks portal to access records from Caddo Parish and other parishes across the state. This statewide tool gives another way to search for family court filings, divorce judgments, and related documents.

Both portals let you search by party name or case number. Results show basic case details like filing date, case type, and parties involved.

Note: Online records may not include every document in the physical case file at the courthouse.

Caddo Parish Divorce Records

Divorce cases make up a large share of family court records in Caddo Parish. Louisiana law sets out two main paths for divorce. Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 102, a spouse files a petition and then must live apart for 180 days before the divorce is final. If there are minor children, the wait is 365 days. Under Article 103, spouses who have already lived apart for the required time can get a faster judgment.

The Caddo Parish Clerk of Court stores all divorce filings, answers, motions, and final judgments. Each divorce case gets a number when it is filed. The case file holds all the papers from start to finish. You can get copies of any document in the file. Certified copies cost more than plain ones. Most people need a certified copy of the final judgment for legal purposes like name changes or selling property.

Louisiana is a community property state. Under Civil Code Article 2325, assets gained during the marriage belong to both spouses equally unless they agree on different terms. Divorce records in Caddo Parish often include community property settlements that show how the couple split their assets and debts.

Custody and Support Cases in Caddo Parish

Caddo Parish has a separate Juvenile Court that handles some family matters involving children. The main family court at the 1st Judicial District Court also takes custody and child support cases. These records are part of the family court system in Caddo Parish.

Child custody orders set out who the child lives with and when the other parent has visits. Louisiana courts use the "best interest of the child" standard under the Children's Code when making custody decisions. Support orders follow state guidelines that look at both parents' income. Under La. R.S. 13:587.4, the court can set up enforcement tools to make sure support gets paid on time.

Protection orders are another type of family court record in Caddo Parish. Under the Protection from Abuse Act (La. R.S. 46:2131), a person can ask the court for an order that keeps an abusive family member away. These orders become part of the family court record. They also go into the Louisiana Protective Order Registry, which law enforcement can check statewide.

To get copies of custody or support orders, contact the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court. You will need the case number or the names of the parties involved.

Family Court Appeals in Caddo Parish

If you disagree with a family court ruling in Caddo Parish, you can file an appeal. Appeals from the 1st Judicial District Court go to the Second Circuit Court of Appeal. This court sits in Shreveport, so it is close to the Caddo Parish courthouse. The Second Circuit Court of Appeal reviews family court decisions on issues like custody, support amounts, and property division.

Appeal records are separate from the trial court file. The Second Circuit has its own clerk and its own records system. You can search appeal cases on the court's website. Family court appeals can take several months to resolve. During that time, the trial court's order usually stays in effect unless the appeal court says otherwise.

The appeal court can uphold the lower court's decision, change it, or send it back for a new hearing. Most family law appeals focus on whether the trial judge applied the law correctly.

Public Access to Caddo Parish Records

Family court records in Caddo Parish are public under the Louisiana Public Records Law (La. R.S. 44:1). Anyone can ask to see them. You do not have to be a party to the case. Some records that involve minors may have parts redacted, but most of the file is open. Adoption records are sealed under the Children's Code (Articles 411-417) and require a court order to open.

To get copies in person, go to the clerk's office at 501 Texas Street in Shreveport. You can also send a request by email to copies@caddoclerk.com. Include the case number or party names so the staff can find the right file. Plain copies and certified copies have different fees. Call the clerk at (318) 226-6780 to check current prices before you send your request.

Note: Certified copies of divorce judgments are often needed for name changes, remarriage, or property transfers.

Legal Help for Family Court in Caddo Parish

Several groups offer legal help in the Shreveport area. Northwest Louisiana Legal Services provides free legal aid to people with low income. They handle family law cases including divorce, custody, and support. Call 211 to find out if you qualify.

The Shreveport Bar Association can refer you to a family law attorney. The Louisiana State Bar Association also runs a statewide lawyer referral service. If you want to handle your own case, Louisiana Law Help has self-help guides and forms. The Caddo Parish courthouse may have self-help resources at the clerk's window too. Ask staff what is available when you visit.

Cities in Caddo Parish

Caddo Parish includes the city of Shreveport and several smaller communities. All family court cases in Caddo Parish go through the 1st Judicial District Court. No matter which city you live in within the parish, you file at the same courthouse in Shreveport.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border Caddo Parish. Make sure you file in the right parish. Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 3941, at least one spouse must be domiciled in the state, and you file where either spouse lives.