Tangipahoa Parish Family Court Records

Tangipahoa Parish family court records are held at the Clerk of Court office in Amite, with a branch office in Hammond. The 21st Judicial District Court processes all family law cases for the parish. You can search for divorce filings, custody orders, child support cases, and protection order documents at either location or through online portals. Clerk Gary T. Stanga oversees an office that serves one of the larger parishes in southeast Louisiana, and both the Amite and Hammond locations can help you find family court records.

Tangipahoa Parish Clerk of Court

The Tangipahoa Parish Clerk of Court manages all family court records in the parish. Clerk Gary T. Stanga runs two locations to serve residents across Tangipahoa Parish. The main office is at 110 N. Bay Street, Suite 100, in Amite. The Hammond branch sits at 318-A NW Railroad Avenue in Hammond. The mailing address is P.O. Box 667, Amite, LA 70422.

The clerk's office stores divorce filings, custody orders, child support cases, adoption records (which are confidential), domestic violence proceedings, paternity filings (also confidential), spousal support orders, community property partitions, name changes, succession and probate records, and juvenile delinquency records (confidential). Both locations handle family court matters, though the Amite office is the main courthouse.

Hours at both offices run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The Hammond branch closes from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM for lunch each day. Keep that in mind if you plan to visit around midday.

Staff at both locations can search for cases, pull files, and make copies of documents.

Search Tangipahoa Parish Family Court Records Online

Tangipahoa Parish has multiple online tools for searching family court records. The Tangipahoa Civil Inquiry portal is the clerk's own search tool. You can look up cases by party name or case number. This is a good first stop for checking on a specific family court case in the parish.

The Clerk Connect portal provides broader access to Tangipahoa Parish court records. This statewide service covers many Louisiana parishes. Pricing for Tangipahoa Parish access on Clerk Connect varies. An eSearch pass costs $20 for 24 hours or $300 for an annual subscription. These fees cover searches across all record types, not just family court cases.

For land records and property documents that may relate to a family court case (such as community property partitions), the Tangipahoa Land Records portal gives access to recorded instruments. This can be useful when looking up property transfers that happened as part of a divorce settlement.

The general search fee at the clerk's office is $10. An eSearch 24-hour pass costs $20, and an annual subscription runs $300. These rates apply whether you search online or request a search in person.

Note: Confidential records like adoption and paternity filings will not show up in online search results.

Tangipahoa Parish Family Court Fees

The Tangipahoa Parish Clerk of Court charges set fees for copies and services. Regular copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 plus $1.00 per page. A conformed copy runs $3.00. Search fees are $10 per name. Call the copy department at (985) 748-8015 to confirm current rates before you visit or mail a request.

If you plan to get copies of several documents from a family court case, ask the clerk for a total first. For large files with many pages, costs can add up. Payment methods may vary by location, so check ahead of time.

E-filing is available for attorneys and self-represented parties. This saves a trip to the courthouse for filing motions, responses, and other papers in family court cases.

Divorce Records in Tangipahoa Parish

Divorce filings are a major part of Tangipahoa Parish family court records. Louisiana law offers two paths. Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 102, one spouse files a petition and then both must live apart for 180 days. With minor children, the wait is 365 days. Under Article 103, couples who have already lived apart for the needed time can file and get a judgment more quickly.

The clerk stores all divorce documents from filing to final judgment. Each case gets a unique number. The file includes the petition, answer, motions, hearing notes, temporary orders, community property settlements, and the final judgment. You can get plain or certified copies of any document. Most people need a certified copy of the final judgment for legal purposes like name changes or remarriage.

Tangipahoa Parish Custody and Support Records

Custody and child support cases go through the 21st Judicial District Court and are kept at the Tangipahoa Parish Clerk of Court. Parents can file for custody whether they are married or not. The court uses the "best interest of the child" standard under Louisiana Civil Code Article 134 when making custody decisions.

Child support follows state guidelines under La. R.S. 9:315. The court uses a formula based on both parents' income. Support orders become part of the family court record. They can be enforced through wage garnishment, tax intercepts, or other tools. Either parent can ask to modify the amount if there is a major change in circumstances. Spousal support can also be part of the case. These orders stay in the court file at the clerk's office.

Protection orders in Tangipahoa Parish are filed under the Protection from Abuse Act (La. R.S. 46:2131). These orders go into the Louisiana Protective Order Registry. Domestic violence proceedings are part of the family court record. The clerk's office can help you understand how to file for a protection order if you need one.

Public Access to Tangipahoa Parish Records

Family court records in Tangipahoa 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 involving minors may be partially redacted.

Certain records are confidential in Tangipahoa Parish. Adoption proceedings, paternity filings, juvenile delinquency records, mental health evaluations, and custody evaluation reports are not open to the general public. You need a court order to access sealed records. Everything else in the family court file is available for review at the clerk's office.

Cities in Tangipahoa Parish

Tangipahoa Parish includes the city of Hammond and several smaller towns. All family court cases in the parish go through the 21st Judicial District Court. The Hammond branch office makes it easy for residents in that part of the parish to access records without driving to Amite.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border Tangipahoa. Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 3941, you file in the parish where either spouse is domiciled. Make sure you pick the right one.