Search Caddo Parish Divorce Decree Records

Caddo Parish divorce decree records are kept at the Clerk of Court office in Shreveport, where all civil case files from the 1st Judicial District Court are stored and available to anyone who needs access.

Caddo Parish Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Court in Shreveport is the official custodian of all Caddo Parish divorce decree records. The office is at 501 Texas Street, Room 103, Shreveport, LA 71101. You can reach the office by phone at (318) 677-5341 or by email at copies@caddoclerk.com. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The 1st Judicial District Court handles all civil matters in Caddo Parish, including divorce filings.

Caddo Parish is one of the most populous parishes in Louisiana. The clerk's office handles a large volume of records, including divorce cases going back many decades. When you contact the office, have the names of both parties ready. If you know the case number or year, include that as well. Staff can search by name or case number. Older records may require a manual search, which can take more time.

The Caddo Parish Clerk of Court website at caddoclerk.com has information on all services, fees, and access options. You can also find information about the web access system for online record searches.

The Caddo Parish Clerk's website provides full details on fees, web access subscriptions, and how to request copies of court records including divorce decrees. Check the site before you visit or submit a mail request.

The caddoclerk.com site lists all department contacts, fee schedules, and the online web access system where subscribers can search Caddo Parish civil records including divorce cases.

How to Search Caddo Parish Divorce Decree Records

Caddo Parish offers several ways to search for a divorce decree. You can visit in person, send a request by mail or email, or use the web access system for online searches. In-person visits let you search and get copies the same day. The web access system is useful if you need to search records remotely or check multiple cases.

The web access system for Caddo Parish civil records is available through an authorized vendor. Subscription fees are $20 per day, $50 per month, or $500 per year. Printed pages from the system cost 60 cents each. Online copies are not certified. To get a certified copy of a Caddo Parish divorce decree, you must contact the clerk's office in Shreveport directly and pay the certification fee of $5 per copy.

For mail requests, write to 501 Texas Street, Room 103, Shreveport, LA 71101. Include the names of both parties, the year of the divorce, and the case number if you have it. You can also email the office at copies@caddoclerk.com to ask about your request before sending payment. Standard computer printout copies cost $1 per page. Certification adds $5 per copy. Postage and credit card processing fees are additional.

The eClerks LA statewide portal gives free access to civil record indexes across all Louisiana parishes, including Caddo. Use it to find a case number before requesting official copies from the Shreveport clerk's office.

The statewide portal at louisianacourtrecords.us/caddoparish/ provides additional index access to Caddo Parish civil records, which can help you confirm case details before contacting the Shreveport clerk for certified copies.

Caddo Parish Divorce Decree Fees

Caddo Parish has set fees for divorce decree copies. Computer printouts and reproduced pages cost $1 per page. Certified copies cost $5 per copy in addition to the per-page fee. Transcript copies are also $1 per page. Postage and credit card processing fees are charged separately based on your request.

Web access subscriptions cost $20 per day, $50 per month, or $500 per year. Printed pages from the web system cost 60 cents each. Make checks or money orders payable to the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court when submitting mail requests.

Fee waivers may be available for those with low income through the In Forma Pauperis process. Louisiana Law Help at louisianalawhelp.org explains how to apply for a fee waiver and what documentation you need.

The Louisiana Department of Health charges $9 for a divorce certificate. That is not the same as a divorce decree. A certificate only shows basic facts. For most legal uses, you need the full certified divorce decree from the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court in Shreveport.

Divorce Filing Process in Caddo Parish

Divorce cases in Caddo Parish are filed with the Clerk of Court at 501 Texas Street in Shreveport. The 1st Judicial District Court hears these cases. You start the process by filing a petition for divorce at the clerk's office and paying the filing fee. The clerk gives you a case number, and all future documents go into the file under that number.

Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 3941, at least one spouse must be domiciled in Louisiana to file for divorce in this state. You file in the parish where either spouse lives. If you or your spouse lives in Caddo Parish, you file at the Shreveport courthouse. Louisiana Civil Code Article 102 sets the waiting period. If there are no minor children, spouses must live separate and apart for 180 days after filing. With minor children, the wait is 365 days. Louisiana Civil Code Article 103 allows a more immediate divorce if the spouses have already been separated for the required time before filing.

Louisiana Civil Code Article 2325 makes Louisiana a community property state. Most property gained during the marriage is split equally. The final divorce decree contains all terms for property division, custody, support, and dissolution of the marriage. Once signed by the judge and filed with the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court, the decree is a public record under La. R.S. 44:1.

What Caddo Parish Divorce Records Contain

A divorce decree from Caddo Parish is the judge's final order ending the marriage. It lists both parties' names, date of marriage, grounds for divorce, property division, custody orders, support amounts, and any other terms ordered by the court. The full case file also includes the original petition, answers, motions, temporary orders, and any hearing transcripts.

All of these documents are public records under La. R.S. 44:1 once filed with the clerk. Anyone can ask for copies. You do not have to be a party to the case. Some personal information such as Social Security numbers may be redacted from copies provided to the public.

Certified copies of a Caddo Parish divorce decree are often needed for name changes, property sales, and remarriage applications. Only the Caddo Parish Clerk of Court can certify copies of decrees filed in this parish. Contact the Shreveport office directly to request certified copies.

Legal Help for Divorce in Caddo Parish

Caddo Parish residents have access to several legal resources. Northwest Louisiana Legal Services provides free legal help to those who qualify based on income. Call 211 to find available resources in the Shreveport area. Louisiana Law Help at louisianalawhelp.org has self-help guides and forms for people going through a divorce without a lawyer.

The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association at (225) 293-1162 can help if you are not sure which parish handled a particular divorce case. The Louisiana State Bar Association has a referral service to connect you with a family law attorney in the Shreveport area.

Cities in Caddo Parish

Caddo Parish includes the city of Shreveport, which is the parish seat and the third largest city in Louisiana. All Caddo Parish divorce decrees are filed and stored at the Clerk of Court in Shreveport through the 1st Judicial District Court. Other communities in the parish, including Vivian, Mooringsport, and Oil City, also file at the same Shreveport courthouse.

Nearby Parishes

These parishes border Caddo Parish. File in the parish where you or your spouse lives. Caddo Parish residents file at the Shreveport courthouse through the 1st Judicial District Court.