Yes, divorce records are public in Louisiana under Article XII, § 3 of the Louisiana Constitution and the Public Records Act (La. R.S. 44:1 et seq.). Anyone 18 or older may view case filings at the parish Clerk of Court, but the certified Judgment of Divorce is released only to eligible persons. Copy fees run $10-$25 per parish.
The question "are divorce records public Louisiana" turns on an important distinction between viewing case documents and obtaining a certified divorce decree. Because divorce is a civil court proceeding, the documents filed and used at trial become public records subject to the Louisiana Public Records Act. Louisiana has no statewide divorce database — every record is held by the Clerk of Court in the parish where the case was filed. This guide explains what is public, what is restricted, how to run a divorce records search, current fees, and the strict standard courts apply before they will seal divorce records.
Key Facts: Louisiana Divorce Records
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Records public? | Yes — under La. Const. art. XII, § 3 and Public Records Act |
| Where held | Clerk of Court in the parish of filing (no statewide database) |
| Copy fee | $10-$25 per copy (varies by parish) |
| Certified decree access | Limited to parties, attorneys, parents, adult direct relatives |
| Filing fee (to file divorce) | $150-$600 depending on parish |
| Waiting period | 180 days (no minor children) or 365 days (with minor children) |
| Residency requirement | Domicile in Louisiana; 6-month presumption per La. C.C.P. art. 10 |
| Grounds | No-fault (La. Civ. Code art. 102 & art. 103) or fault |
| Property division | Community property (equal division) |
| Sealing standard | Copeland v. Copeland — privacy must outweigh public access |
Are Divorce Records Public in Louisiana?
Louisiana divorce records are public records under Article XII, § 3 of the Louisiana Constitution, which states no person shall be denied the right to examine public documents except in cases established by law. The Louisiana Public Records Act, La. R.S. 44:1 through 44:41, implements this right and grants any person 18 or older access to court filings held by the Clerk of Court in each of the state's 64 parishes.
Because divorce proceeds through a civil district court, the petition, answer, motions, and final judgment filed in the case become public documents. The Louisiana Supreme Court confirmed this presumption of openness in Copeland v. Copeland, 930 So.2d 940 (La. 2006), where it vacated a trial court order that had sealed an entire divorce record as "overbroad." Under La. Const. art. XII, § 3, the constitutional right of access must be construed liberally in favor of unrestricted access, and the custodian bears the burden of proving any record is exempt from disclosure under La. R.S. 44:31(B). This means public divorce filings are the default in Louisiana, and confidentiality is the narrow exception.
What Divorce Information Is Public vs. Restricted
Basic divorce case information is public, but certain sensitive documents are restricted. Public divorce filings include the case number, party names, filing date, grounds cited, and the fact that a Judgment of Divorce was rendered. Restricted materials include custody evaluations, financial disclosures containing account numbers, and the certified decree itself, which the Clerk releases only to eligible persons named on the record.
Louisiana draws a practical line between the public docket and protected family-court content. While anyone may view the divorce records search results and case file at the courthouse, custody judgments, parenting plans, and psychological evaluations involving minor children are generally shielded from public inspection because they involve children's welfare. The certified Judgment of Divorce — the document most people actually need — is released only to the parties named on the record, their legal representatives, the parents of the couple, and other adult direct relatives. A stranger conducting a general divorce records search can confirm a divorce occurred and view many filings, but cannot obtain a certified decree for a couple to whom they are unrelated. This two-tier system protects divorce records privacy for financial and child-related data while preserving the constitutional presumption of open courts for the underlying case.
Public vs. Restricted at a Glance
| Category | Public Access | Restricted Access |
|---|---|---|
| Case number & party names | Yes | — |
| Filing date & grounds | Yes | — |
| Docket entries | Yes | — |
| Certified Judgment of Divorce | View only | Certified copy limited to eligible persons |
| Financial disclosures (account numbers) | Redacted | Parties/attorneys |
| Custody evaluations | No | Parties/attorneys |
| Parenting plans | Generally no | Parties/attorneys |
Where to Find Divorce Records in Louisiana
Divorce records are held by the Clerk of Court in the parish where the divorce was filed — Louisiana has no statewide central divorce database. To run a divorce records search, you must first identify the correct parish, then contact that Clerk of Court in person, by mail, or through the parish website if it offers online access. Copy fees typically range from $10 to $25.
The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association website (laclerksportal.org) provides a "Select Parish or Court" tool to locate the correct parish office. Access methods include an in-person request at the Clerk's office, a mailed request with the required fee, or viewing electronic copies at a public access terminal inside the courthouse. Some larger parishes — such as East Baton Rouge and Jefferson Parish — offer online civil-record search portals where the public may look up public divorce filings remotely using party names and the filing date. Importantly, the Louisiana state government and courts do not provide a statewide online request system; the parish clerk is the sole official repository. Records viewed at a courthouse public terminal are generally free, while certified copies and printouts incur the local fee. For a reliable, certified result, requestors should go directly to the parish Clerk of Court rather than relying on third-party websites that operate independently of government agencies.
How to Request a Copy of a Louisiana Divorce Record
To request a Louisiana divorce record, identify the parish of filing, gather the party names and case number, and submit an in-person, mail, or online request to that Clerk of Court with the applicable fee of $10 to $25 per copy. Certified copies of the Judgment of Divorce are released only to eligible persons named on the record.
A complete divorce records search request generally requires the full names of both parties, the case or docket number if known, and the approximate filing or judgment date. Providing more identifying detail speeds the search, especially in populous parishes. The step-by-step process is:
- Determine the parish where the divorce was filed (use laclerksportal.org's parish selector).
- Contact that Clerk of Court by phone or website to confirm the search method and current fee.
- Gather party names, case number, and filing/judgment date.
- Submit an in-person, mail-in, or online request.
- For a certified copy, confirm your eligibility (party, attorney, parent, or adult direct relative) and pay the certification fee.
As of January 2026, copy fees typically range from $10 to $25 per copy, but they are set locally. Verify the exact amount with your parish Clerk of Court before submitting payment.
Can You Seal or Make Divorce Records Private in Louisiana?
Louisiana permits sealing or redacting portions of a divorce record only when a party makes a specific showing that their privacy interest outweighs the public's constitutional right of access. Under Copeland v. Copeland, 930 So.2d 940 (La. 2006), blanket orders sealing an entire divorce record are overbroad and will be vacated; courts require a narrow, particularized justification.
The controlling Louisiana authority on sealing divorce records is Copeland v. Copeland, in which the Louisiana Supreme Court reviewed a trial court order that sealed the entire divorce record of a prominent businessman on joint motion of the parties. The Supreme Court found the blanket order overbroad, vacated it, and remanded, holding that parties must make a specific showing that their privacy interest outweighs the public's constitutional right of access under La. Const. art. XII, § 3. To seal divorce records or redact specific documents, a party must therefore demonstrate a concrete need — such as protecting minor children, shielding trade secrets, or safeguarding a survivor of domestic violence — rather than mere embarrassment or a desire for general privacy. A litigant may also move to close a specific hearing, but that request must overcome the same presumption of openness. This demanding standard means most Louisiana divorce records remain public, and successful sealing is limited to narrowly tailored portions supported by a specific factual showing.
When Louisiana Divorce Records Are Automatically Confidential
Certain family-court materials are treated as confidential without a separate sealing motion, particularly documents involving minor children, domestic violence, or protective orders. Custody evaluations, parenting agreements, and child-abuse allegations are accessible only to the parties and their attorneys, while protective-order proceedings under Louisiana's domestic-violence statutes carry heightened privacy protections.
Even though the constitutional presumption favors open divorce filings, Louisiana law and court practice shield categories of sensitive information as a matter of course. Records that reveal a minor child's psychological evaluation, custody investigation, or abuse allegations are not part of the freely accessible public docket because they implicate the child's welfare rather than the parents' adjudicated dispute. Similarly, in cases involving domestic violence, the address and contact information of a protected party are commonly redacted to preserve safety. Financial disclosures required during divorce may be filed with account numbers and Social Security numbers redacted. These protections operate alongside — not instead of — the general rule that public divorce filings are open. A person conducting a divorce records search will still find the case exists and can view the judgment's outcome, but the protective layer around children and safety-sensitive data reflects Louisiana's balance between open courts and divorce records privacy.
Divorce Records vs. Marriage and Vital Records in Louisiana
Louisiana separates court-held divorce records from state-held vital records. The parish Clerk of Court maintains divorce case files and issues certified divorce judgments, while the Louisiana Vital Records Registry handles birth and death certificates. There is no statewide divorce-certificate index; the Clerk of Court in the filing parish is the authoritative source for divorce documentation.
Many states issue a centralized "divorce certificate" through a state vital-records office, but Louisiana does not follow that model for divorce judgments. In Louisiana, the certified Judgment of Divorce comes from the parish district court through its Clerk of Court, not from a statewide health-department index. This is why a divorce records search always begins by identifying the correct parish. Marriage records follow a comparable parish-based structure — original marriage licenses are recorded at the parish level. Understanding this distinction prevents wasted effort: requesting a Louisiana divorce record from a state vital-records agency will not produce the certified decree, because the court file lives with the parish Clerk of Court where the Article 102 or Article 103 petition was originally filed. For genealogical or historical searches, older parish records may be archived but are still administered at the parish level.
Filing Costs and Requirements That Create the Record
A Louisiana divorce record is created when a spouse files a petition and pays the parish filing fee, which ranges from $150 to $600 depending on the parish. At least one spouse must be domiciled in Louisiana, and the case proceeds under no-fault Article 102 or Article 103 with a 180-day or 365-day waiting period before the public judgment is entered.
Understanding how the record originates clarifies what later becomes public. When a spouse files for divorce, the petition enters the parish civil docket and becomes a public filing immediately, before any judgment is rendered. Louisiana requires domicile in the state, with courts presuming domicile after six months of continuous residence in a parish under La. C.C.P. art. 10(A)(7); domicile can also be proven sooner through a Louisiana driver's license, voter registration, or employment. As of January 2026, filing fees range from $150 to $600 by parish, with service of process typically adding $25 to $75 — verify with your local clerk. Under Article 102, community property terminates retroactively to the filing date, while under Article 103 it terminates on the filing date. The final Judgment of Divorce is the culminating public document, entered after the applicable 180-day (no minor children) or 365-day (with minor children) separation period.