Calcasieu Parish Dissolution of Marriage Records

Calcasieu Parish dissolution of marriage records are filed and maintained at the Clerk of Court in Lake Charles, one of the largest clerk's offices in Louisiana, where the 14th Judicial District Court handles all civil and family law cases for the parish. You can access records in person at 1000 Ryan Street, online through ClerkConnect, or by mail to the clerk's post office box.

Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court

The Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court is one of the largest in the state, with roughly 120 employees. The office serves as the central location in Calcasieu Parish for a wide range of public records, including marriage licenses, passports, protective orders, property sales, adoptions, criminal records, military discharge records, lawsuit filings, deeds and mortgages, mortgage cancellations, court minutes, and expungements. Dissolution of marriage cases fall under civil lawsuits.

The physical address is 1000 Ryan Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601. The mailing address is PO Box 1030, Lake Charles, LA 70602. The main phone is 337-437-3550. Civil records can be reached directly at 337-437-3558, or by extension through the main line (ext. 460 for civil records, ext. 126 for the Civil Records supervisor). Office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

The Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court website provides information on all departments, including civil records. The site includes filing guides, fee schedules, and contact information for each section. Civil e-filing and e-recording are available through the clerk's online systems.

Civil Records Department: Dissolution of Marriage

The Civil Records Department at the Calcasieu Parish Clerk's office handles dissolution of marriage, successions (wills and probate), and general civil lawsuits. This department is your contact for all dissolution of marriage records in the parish. The direct line for civil records is 337-437-3558. The civil records supervisor is at extension 126.

The Civil Records page on the clerk's website describes the full scope of what the department holds and how to request records. Dissolution of marriage case files include the original petition, service documents, financial disclosures, property settlement agreements, custody and support documents if applicable, and the final judgment. Each of these documents can be requested separately or as a full case file copy.

The clerk's site is the starting point for all records requests in Calcasieu Parish. The civil records section explains what documents are available, what fees apply, and how to submit a request online, in person, or by mail.

Note on early records: A fire on April 23, 1910, destroyed much of downtown Lake Charles and damaged many early court records. While some records from before 1910 were saved or later restored, many documents from the 1800s through 1910 are incomplete or lost entirely. If you are researching older dissolution of marriage records in Calcasieu Parish, be aware of this gap in the historical record. The Louisiana State Archives may hold some restored documents from that era.

Family and Juvenile Court in Calcasieu Parish

Calcasieu Parish has a separate Family and Juvenile Court located at 1000 Ryan Street, North Annex, Lake Charles, LA 70601. The phone number is (337) 437-3363. This court handles divorce, child custody, spousal support, and domestic abuse matters. Records from Family Court cases are often restricted or confidential and may require a case number to retrieve.

If your dissolution of marriage case also involves custody or support issues, some filings may be in Family Court rather than in the general civil records at the main clerk's office. Call (337) 437-3363 to check whether your case records are in Family Court or the main civil records system. You may need to request documents from both places if the case was split between the two courts.

Louisiana Civil Code Article 102 and Article 103 both apply in Calcasieu Parish. Article 102 covers filings made before separation is complete, with a 180-day waiting period (no children) or 365-day waiting period (minor children present). Article 103 covers post-separation filings and provides for faster final judgments once the required separation period has passed. Both articles are heard in the 14th Judicial District Court, with family matters sometimes channeled through Family Court.

Search Calcasieu Parish Dissolution of Marriage Records Online

Calcasieu Parish participates in ClerkConnect for online record access. Through ClerkConnect, you can search civil records including dissolution of marriage cases by party name or case number. The system displays case details, filing history, and document images for cases that have been digitized. Online subscriptions are available for frequent users.

ClerkConnect subscription rates for Calcasieu Parish civil records are: 1 Day $20 plus $1 per page; 1 Month $55 plus $1 per page; 1 Year $660 plus $1 per page. These fees apply to the online subscription access. In-person access during business hours remains free for viewing; you pay only for copies.

The civil records page explains the full scope of records available and how to access them through multiple channels. For most dissolution of marriage case searches, ClerkConnect is the most convenient remote access option.

The Calcasieu Parish fee schedule is published on the clerk's website and lists current rates for all record types and services. Always check the fee schedule before submitting a mail request to avoid delays caused by incorrect payment.

Calcasieu Parish Dissolution of Marriage Fees

The Calcasieu Parish Clerk's office publishes a detailed fee schedule for all services. For dissolution of marriage records, the relevant fees are as follows. Standard copies cost $1.00 per page. True copies cost $5.00 per document. A 10-year civil search runs $15.00 per name. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the seal plus $1.00 per page if the clerk makes the copy. The credit card processing fee is $2.00. A general research fee of $15.00 may apply for complex searches.

For filing a new dissolution of marriage case, the advance deposit is $400.00, which includes one service. Each additional service costs $100.00. A name change costs $265.00 to file. Voluntary transfer of custody is $200.00. Any motion requiring a hearing costs $175.00.

These are filing fees for new cases. If you are only requesting copies of an existing dissolution of marriage case, the copy and search fees described above apply instead. Call 337-437-3558 to confirm current fees before submitting any request, as fee schedules can change.

If you cannot afford to pay, Louisiana courts allow you to file an In Forma Pauperis affidavit requesting that the judge waive the fees. The judge reviews your income and expenses and rules on the request. This option applies in Calcasieu Parish the same as in all other Louisiana courts. The 14th JDC also provides free self-help forms for dissolution of marriage, custody, and child support through its self-help program.

Louisiana State Resources for Dissolution of Marriage

The Louisiana Department of Health does not hold dissolution of marriage records. LDH manages birth, death, and marriage certificates, but divorce decrees and dissolution judgments stay with the Clerk of Court in the parish where the case was filed. If a dissolution of marriage was filed in Calcasieu Parish, the only official source is the Calcasieu Parish Clerk's office.

The LDH vital records page confirms what the state health office does and does not have. This is a common point of confusion, and clarifying it before you submit a request saves time.

For legal research help, the Law Library of Louisiana maintains a free online guide to dissolution of marriage under Louisiana law. The guide explains Articles 102 and 103, community property under Civil Code Art. 2325, residency requirements, and the difference between fault and no-fault grounds. The Louisiana Supreme Court website also has court directories, rules, and links to parish-level resources.

For older dissolution of marriage records, the Louisiana State Archives holds documents more than 50 years old. Calcasieu Parish records before that threshold may be at the archives in Baton Rouge. Because the 1910 fire destroyed many pre-1910 records, historical research for very early cases may yield limited results even through the archives.

Cities in Calcasieu Parish

Lake Charles is the parish seat of Calcasieu Parish and the largest city in southwest Louisiana. All dissolution of marriage cases filed by Lake Charles residents go through the Calcasieu Parish Clerk of Court at 1000 Ryan Street. The same clerk, fees, and procedures apply across all communities in the parish.

Nearby Parishes

Calcasieu Parish borders several southwest Louisiana parishes. File dissolution of marriage cases in the parish where you or your spouse is domiciled, as required by Louisiana law.