West Feliciana Parish Family Court Records

Family court records in West Feliciana Parish are filed and stored at the Clerk of Court office in St. Francisville. The 20th Judicial District Court handles all family law cases for this parish. If you need to find a divorce filing, custody order, child support case, or protection order, the clerk's office has those records. You can visit the courthouse, call ahead, send a mail request, or use statewide online portals to search for West Feliciana Parish family court data. The staff can help you locate the right case and get copies of documents.

West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Court in West Feliciana Parish keeps all family court records on file. Divorce cases, custody filings, child support orders, paternity matters, and protective order requests are stored at the courthouse in St. Francisville. Office hours are Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Walk-ins are welcome.

West Feliciana Parish is one of the smaller parishes in Louisiana. The clerk's office handles fewer cases than urban parishes, but every Louisiana law still applies here. Under La. R.S. 44:1, most records held by a government office are public. That means anyone can ask to see a family court file in West Feliciana Parish. Sealed records, like adoptions, are the exception. But divorce, custody, and support cases are open to all.

The clerk also stores marriage records, conveyances, mortgages, and other civil filings. If your family court case involves property or a will, the same office handles those records. This makes the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court a one-stop location for most record needs in the parish.

Note: West Feliciana Parish shares its 20th Judicial District with East Feliciana Parish, so some court staff and judges serve both parishes.

Filing Family Court Cases in West Feliciana Parish

Filing starts at the Clerk of Court office in St. Francisville. Bring your petition, pay the filing fee, and get a case number. For a divorce under Louisiana Civil Code Article 102, one spouse files the petition and then the couple must live apart for 180 days. If kids under 18 are involved, the wait is 365 days. Under Article 103, if the couple has already lived apart long enough, the court can grant the divorce right away.

After you file, the other party must be served. The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff can do this. You can also use a private process server. Proof of service goes into the court file. Once the waiting period ends, you file a motion for the court to sign the final judgment. That judgment ends the marriage and becomes part of the public record.

Child support in West Feliciana Parish is set by the formula in La. R.S. 9:315. Both parents' income goes into the calculation. Custody decisions follow La. C.C. Art. 134, which lists factors the judge weighs to decide what is best for the child. Community property rules under La. C.C. Art. 2325 govern how assets from the marriage are divided. These laws apply the same way in West Feliciana Parish as in every other parish.

West Feliciana Parish Records Online

West Feliciana Parish does not have its own local search portal for court records. But statewide tools give you a way to search online. The Clerk Connect portal covers many parishes in Louisiana. You can search by name or case number for divorce filings, custody orders, and other family court cases. Some features may need a paid subscription.

The eClerks Louisiana portal is another statewide tool. It may include West Feliciana Parish data. The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association portal helps you find contact info and see what is available online for each parish.

Online tools usually show index data like party names, case numbers, and filing dates. For full documents or certified copies, you still need to go through the clerk's office. You can request copies by mail or pick them up in person at the St. Francisville courthouse. Call the clerk's office to confirm what records are available electronically before you visit.

Family Court Record Types in West Feliciana

Family court records in West Feliciana Parish cover the full range of family law cases. Divorce is the most common. The case file includes the petition, answers, motions, and the final judgment. That judgment is the key document. It ends the marriage and spells out terms for property division, custody, and support.

Custody records show who has legal and physical custody and what the visitation schedule looks like. Support orders set the monthly payment one parent makes to the other. Louisiana uses an income-based formula under La. R.S. 9:315. Paternity cases figure out who the legal father of a child is. Once that is set, the court can order custody and support. Protection orders under La. R.S. 46:2131 are another type of family court record. When a person faces domestic abuse, they can ask the court for protection. These filings stay at the clerk's office and also go on the Louisiana Protective Order Registry.

Louisiana is a community property state. Under La. C.C. Art. 2325, things gained during a marriage belong to both spouses equally. The division of this property in a divorce becomes part of the case file at the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court.

Getting Copies of West Feliciana Parish Records

Visit the Clerk of Court in St. Francisville to get copies of family court records. Staff will look up the case and print what you need. You can also call or send a mail request with party names, the case type, and a check for fees.

Regular copies cost about $1.00 per page under Louisiana law. Certified copies cost more and carry the clerk's stamp and seal. If the document is for another court or a government agency, get a certified copy. For a short-form divorce certificate, the Louisiana Department of Health vital records office at ldh.la.gov is another option. That certificate proves the divorce took place and shows names, date, and parish. For the full judgment with all the terms, you need to go to the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court.

Legal Help in West Feliciana Parish

Capital Area Legal Services may offer free help to West Feliciana Parish residents who qualify based on income. They handle family law cases like divorce, custody, and support. Call 211 to check your eligibility.

The Louisiana State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service. You can call or go online to find a family law attorney who works in the St. Francisville area. Louisiana Law Help online has self-help guides and forms for those who want to file their own case. Many people in West Feliciana Parish handle their own divorce when both sides agree. The clerk's office provides forms but cannot give legal advice. For cases with disputed custody or property, consulting a lawyer is a good plan.

Cities in West Feliciana Parish

West Feliciana Parish includes St. Francisville and several small communities. All family court cases go through the West Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court in St. Francisville. All record requests should be directed to the parish clerk's office.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border West Feliciana Parish. Check your address to make sure you file in the right parish for jurisdiction.