East Feliciana Parish Divorce Decree
East Feliciana Parish divorce decree records are maintained at the Clerk of Court office in Clinton, Louisiana, and are available to the public under La. R.S. 44:1. The 20th Judicial District Court handles all divorce filings in East Feliciana Parish, and the Clerk of Court is the official keeper of all final judgments and case documents.
East Feliciana Parish Quick Facts
East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court in Clinton holds all divorce decree records for East Feliciana Parish. This office is the only place in the parish where you can get a copy of a final divorce judgment. The state does not keep these records at the state level. Louisiana assigns responsibility for divorce court records to the clerk of the parish where the case was filed. East Feliciana Parish is no different.
East Feliciana is a small rural parish located north of Baton Rouge. Online information about the clerk's office is limited. The best way to find a divorce decree or get a copy is to contact the clerk directly by phone or visit the courthouse in Clinton during business hours. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID and the names of both parties in the divorce. If you know the case number, bring it. That will speed up the search.
Mail requests are also accepted. Write a letter to the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court at the Clinton courthouse. Include the names of the spouses, the approximate year the divorce was filed, and the case number if known. Tell the clerk whether you want a plain copy or a certified copy. Include a check or money order for the fees. Call ahead to ask about the current fee schedule before you send your request.
| Parish Seat | Clinton, Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Judicial District | 20th Judicial District Court |
| Access Methods | In-person or mail only |
| Records Type | Public under La. R.S. 44:1 |
How to Get East Feliciana Parish Divorce Decree Records
East Feliciana Parish does not have an online search portal for divorce records. This is typical for smaller Louisiana parishes. The two main ways to get records are in person at the Clinton courthouse or by mail. If you are researching a case from far away, a mail request is usually the easiest option.
Before you contact the clerk, try the statewide eClerks LA portal. This free tool lets you search the index of civil, land, marriage, and probate records across Louisiana parishes. You can find a case name, confirm a case exists, and get the case number. With a case number in hand, your request to the clerk's office will go faster.
Once you have the case number, call or write to the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court in Clinton. Ask for a copy of the divorce decree. Specify whether you need a plain copy or a certified copy. Certified copies are needed for most legal and financial matters. Plain copies are fine for personal reference. Copy fees in Louisiana generally run $1 per page for plain copies, but you should confirm the current rate with the clerk's office.
The Louisiana Clerks of Court Association provides general guidance on how clerks handle records requests across the state. Their site explains what clerks can and cannot share, and how to format a public records request.
Filing for Divorce in East Feliciana Parish
Divorce filings in East Feliciana Parish go through the 20th Judicial District Court in Clinton. Louisiana law requires at least one spouse to be domiciled in the state. Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 3941, you file in the parish where either spouse lives. East Feliciana residents file in Clinton at the parish courthouse.
When you file, you pay a filing fee and receive a case number from the clerk. The case number follows your case from start to finish. Every document filed in the case gets added to the file. This includes the petition, any responses, temporary orders, and the final judgment. All of it becomes part of the public record once filed.
Louisiana Civil Code Article 102 requires a period of living separate and apart before the court can grant a final divorce. If there are no minor children, you must be separated for 180 days after filing. If minor children are involved, that period is 365 days. Under Article 103, if you were already separated for the required time before you filed, you can ask for an immediate divorce judgment. No additional waiting period applies in that case.
Louisiana is a community property state under Louisiana Civil Code Article 2325. All property and debts from the marriage are split equally unless you and your spouse agree otherwise. The final divorce decree from East Feliciana Parish will spell out how everything is divided, along with any custody, support, and visitation terms. Once signed by the judge, it is part of the permanent public record at the clerk's office in Clinton.
What East Feliciana Parish Divorce Decree Records Show
A divorce decree from East Feliciana Parish is the official court order ending a marriage. It is signed by the judge and kept in the case file at the clerk's office. Most requests for proof of a divorce require a certified copy of this document. A certified copy has the clerk's seal and signature on it, confirming it is a true copy of the original.
The decree will typically show the names of both spouses, the date of marriage, the grounds for divorce, how community property was divided, custody and visitation terms for any children, child support amounts, and spousal support if ordered. These are public records in Louisiana. Anyone can request a copy. You do not have to be a party to the case.
A divorce certificate from the Louisiana Department of Health is a different document. It is short, costs $9, and just confirms that a divorce took place. It does not contain the full terms. For any legal purpose that requires the terms of the settlement, you need the full decree from the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court. The LDH does not issue decrees and cannot give you a copy of the full court order.
State Vital Records vs. Clerk of Court Records
People sometimes confuse two different types of divorce documents in Louisiana. The state vital records office issues divorce certificates. The clerk of court issues divorce decrees. These are not the same thing.
The Louisiana Department of Health Vital Records office keeps a record of divorces granted in the state. They issue short-form certificates that confirm a divorce happened. The fee is $9 per certified copy. But these certificates do not contain the full divorce decree text or the detailed orders from the judge.
If you need the actual court order, the property division terms, or custody orders, you must go to the East Feliciana Parish Clerk of Court in Clinton. The full divorce decree is only available from the clerk of the parish where the case was filed. Know which document you need before you make a request. It saves time and money.
Legal Help for East Feliciana Parish Residents
Free legal help is available in Louisiana for those who qualify. Baton Rouge-area legal aid organizations may serve East Feliciana Parish residents. Call 211 to get a referral. You can also contact the Louisiana State Bar Association for a lawyer referral if you do not qualify for free help.
Louisiana Law Help at louisianalawhelp.org has free guides and forms for people handling their own divorce cases. The site explains Louisiana's divorce laws in plain language. It covers Article 102 and Article 103 divorces, community property, and custody basics. It is a good starting point if you are not sure where to begin.
Cities in East Feliciana Parish
East Feliciana Parish is a rural parish in central Louisiana. Clinton is the parish seat and largest community. All divorce cases from the parish are filed at the Clinton courthouse through the 20th Judicial District Court. No cities in East Feliciana Parish meet the population threshold for a separate city page on this site.
Nearby Parishes
These parishes border East Feliciana Parish. File your divorce case in the parish where you or your spouse currently lives. Louisiana law requires that at least one spouse live in the state and that the case be filed in the correct parish.