Iberia Parish Dissolution of Marriage Records
Iberia Parish dissolution of marriage records are on file with the Clerk of Court in New Iberia, where the 16th Judicial District Court handles all family law cases for the parish. You can request certified copies in person at the Iberia Street courthouse, send a written mail request, or call the clerk's office to check on a case before making the trip to New Iberia.
Iberia Parish Quick Facts
Iberia Parish Clerk of Court
The Iberia Parish Clerk of Court in New Iberia is the official records custodian for all dissolution of marriage cases filed in the 16th Judicial District Court. Every petition, interim order, and final judgment in a dissolution case is stored in this office. Under Louisiana Public Records Law, La. R.S. 44:1, these civil records are open to the public. You can view them at no charge during business hours and pay fees only when requesting copies.
The courthouse is at 300 Iberia Street, Suite 100, in New Iberia. This is where all dissolution of marriage petitions for Iberia Parish are filed, all case files are maintained, and all certified copies of final judgments are issued. The 16th JDC serves Iberia, St. Martin, and St. Mary Parishes. Each of those parishes has its own clerk of court, so Iberia Parish cases are filed and held in New Iberia only.
The clerk's staff can search the civil index by party name or case number. If you know the approximate year the case was filed, that helps the search go faster. Call ahead at (337) 365-7282 to confirm current copy fees, check whether a specific case is on file, or find out what documents are in a case record before visiting in person.
| Filing Address | 300 Iberia St., Ste. 100, New Iberia, LA 70560 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (337) 365-7282 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Judicial District | 16th Judicial District Court |
16th Judicial District Court Dissolution of Marriage
The 16th Judicial District Court covers Iberia, St. Martin, and St. Mary Parishes. All dissolution of marriage cases for Iberia Parish go through the 16th JDC and are filed in New Iberia at the Iberia Street courthouse. St. Martin cases are filed in St. Martinville, and St. Mary cases are filed in Franklin. Each parish keeps its own records with its own clerk of court.
To file a dissolution of marriage in Iberia Parish, at least one spouse must have been domiciled in Louisiana for six months before the filing date. Louisiana Civil Code Article 102 allows a party to file the petition right away and then wait for the required period before going back to court for the final dissolution. With no minor children involved, the wait is 180 days after the other spouse accepts or is served with the petition. When the couple has children under 18, the waiting period extends to 365 days.
Civil Code Article 103 offers an alternative path. Under Article 103, a marriage can be dissolved without a waiting period if the spouses have already been living separate and apart for the required time before the petition is filed. Article 103 also allows immediate dissolution on fault grounds. Those grounds include adultery, a felony conviction where the convicted spouse is sentenced to death or hard labor imprisonment, and physical or sexual abuse of either spouse or a child of one of the spouses. The judge in the 16th JDC reviews the case and signs the final judgment once all conditions are met.
Iberia Parish is in south-central Louisiana. The 16th JDC has jurisdiction over a three-parish area, and dissolution of marriage cases here often involve community property under Civil Code Article 2325. When spouses cannot agree on how to divide assets and debts, the court may order a partition. Community property partition agreements and court orders are part of the public case record held at the Iberia Parish Clerk of Court.
Louisiana Court System and Dissolution of Marriage
The Louisiana Supreme Court is the highest court in the state and sets the rules that govern all district courts, including the 16th JDC in Iberia Parish. The Louisiana Supreme Court's website provides information on court rules, attorney resources, and links to district court websites across the state. If you need to look up the rules that apply to dissolution of marriage cases in the 16th JDC, the Supreme Court site is a starting point for procedural rules and standards.
The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal handles appeals from the 16th JDC. If either party appeals a dissolution of marriage judgment from Iberia Parish, the case goes to the 3rd Circuit in Lake Charles. The 3rd Circuit's decisions on family law matters set precedent for how dissolution cases are handled in the parishes under its jurisdiction, including Iberia.
The Louisiana Supreme Court website provides access to court rules, opinions, and procedural standards that apply in all Louisiana district courts, including the 16th JDC handling Iberia Parish dissolution of marriage cases.
How to Get Dissolution of Marriage Records in Iberia Parish
Dissolution of marriage records from Iberia Parish are available through the clerk's office at 300 Iberia Street, Suite 100, in New Iberia. In person is the most direct way. Mail requests work for people who cannot make the trip.
For in-person requests, visit the clerk's office during regular business hours. Tell the clerk you need dissolution of marriage records and give both parties' names. A case number or the approximate year of the filing helps the clerk search faster. Show a valid government-issued photo ID. The clerk will pull the record and let you know what documents are available. You pay the copy fee and receive the documents that day. Certified copies are available for an additional certification fee. Most agencies require certified copies as legal proof of dissolution.
For mail requests, write to the Iberia Parish Clerk of Court, 300 Iberia Street, Suite 100, New Iberia, LA 70560. Your letter should include both parties' names, the approximate year of the dissolution, your full name and return address, a copy of your photo ID, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check or money order for the fees. Call (337) 365-7282 first to confirm the current fee schedule before sending payment. The clerk will mail the copies to you when the request is complete.
Louisiana Public Records Law, La. R.S. 44:1, makes dissolution of marriage records public. Anyone can request them. You do not need to prove you were a party to the case. Sealed records are the only exception and require a court order to access.
What Iberia Parish Dissolution of Marriage Records Contain
A dissolution of marriage file in Iberia Parish holds every document filed from the first petition to the final judgment signed by the 16th JDC judge. The petition identifies both spouses, states the grounds for dissolution, and lists the relief the petitioner is seeking. That typically includes division of community property, custody and visitation of minor children, child support amounts, spousal support, and a name change if one party requests it.
The final judgment of dissolution of marriage is the key document in the file. It ends the marriage and sets out everything the court ordered. You need a certified copy of this document to update your name at the DMV, Social Security Administration, banks, and property records offices. A certified copy carries the clerk's seal and the judge's signature. It is legal proof that the marriage was dissolved and on what date.
Other documents in the case file may include the citation and return of service or a waiver of service, answers or counter-petitions, financial affidavits, property settlement agreements, child custody orders, and child support worksheets. When the case involves a partition of community property under Civil Code Article 2325, the partition agreement or court order is also in the file. Social Security numbers and financial account numbers are redacted from copies provided to the public under state privacy standards.
Legal Help for Dissolution of Marriage in Iberia Parish
Acadiana Legal Service Corporation serves Iberia Parish and provides free civil legal assistance to qualifying low-income residents. Family law help, including dissolution of marriage cases, is among their core services. Income guidelines apply. Contact their office to find out if you qualify and what assistance is available for your situation.
The Louisiana State Bar Association has a statewide lawyer referral service. If you need a family law attorney who practices in the New Iberia area, the referral service can connect you with one. The bar association also maintains resources online for people who want to understand the dissolution of marriage process before hiring an attorney.
The Louisiana Department of Health marriage page explains what vital records that office issues. LDH handles marriage certificates, not dissolution records. Understanding the difference prevents confusion when gathering documents. For dissolution of marriage proof in Iberia Parish, contact the 16th JDC clerk at 300 Iberia Street in New Iberia.
Louisiana Law Help at louisianalawhelp.org offers self-help guides and court forms for people who want to file their own dissolution of marriage case. The site explains the Article 102 and 103 procedures in plain language and covers what to expect at each stage of the process in a Louisiana district court.
Cities in Iberia Parish
New Iberia is the parish seat and is where the 16th JDC clerk's office is located. All dissolution of marriage cases in Iberia Parish are filed in New Iberia regardless of where in the parish the parties live. New Iberia is the one qualifying city in Iberia Parish with its own records page.
Nearby Parishes
Iberia Parish is located in south-central Louisiana and shares borders with several neighboring parishes. Louisiana law requires filing a dissolution of marriage in the parish where either spouse is domiciled at the time of filing.