How to Look Up Eviction Records in Louisiana 2026

Where to Search Louisiana Eviction Records

A Louisiana eviction record lives at the courthouse where the case was filed, and there is no single front door. Depending on where the rental sits, the case is heard in a Justice of the Peace Court (rural parishes), a City Court, or a Parish Civil District Court (urban areas like Orleans or East Baton Rouge). Louisiana has no statewide eviction-records portal. To pull a record you go straight to the parish court clerk that handled the matter, which means searching is a county-by-county task rather than one statewide lookup.

Access is uneven from parish to parish: some clerks offer an online docket search, while smaller Justice of the Peace courts keep paper or in-person-only files. Certified copies generally run $0.50 to $1 per page. Just as important, Louisiana has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so a filing tends to stay visible. For renters facing an average rent near $909, that permanence makes it worth understanding exactly what shows up and how it reads.

How to find a Louisiana eviction record

Start by identifying which court heard the case, because Louisiana routes evictions to different venues. In rural parishes, the suit is filed in the local Justice of the Peace Court; in towns and cities with a municipal bench, it goes to City Court; and in major metros it lands in the Parish Civil District Court. Once you know the parish and court, contact that court clerk directly. Some larger parishes publish a name- or address-based docket search online, but many do not, so expect to call, email, or visit in person to request the file by tenant name, landlord name, or case number. Because there is no statewide portal, a thorough search means repeating this clerk-by-clerk for every parish where a person may have rented.

Reading the result: a filing is not a judgment

Pulling a record is only half the job, you have to read it correctly. The single most common mistake is treating the existence of a case as proof the tenant lost. A filing is not a judgment. Louisiana eviction dockets show cases that were dismissed, settled, decided for the tenant, or abandoned alongside those the landlord won. Look for the disposition: who prevailed, whether a judgment of possession was actually entered, and the date it closed. A case marked dismissed or ruled in the tenant's favor says something very different from one ending in a possession judgment. When a clerk's online summary is thin, request the full file or a certified copy so the outcome, not just the caption, is clear before you draw any conclusion.

Expungement and what it means for screening

Louisiana has no statute that lets a tenant expunge or seal an eviction record, so once a case is filed it generally remains part of the public court record. For landlords, that permanence raises the screening stakes. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), if you use a tenant-screening company you must follow adverse-action rules, give the applicant notice and a copy of the report when you deny based on it, and screening firms drop most civil records after seven years. Do not deny an applicant on a bare filing or an unverified, outdated record. Confirm the disposition first, distinguish a dismissed case from a possession judgment, and document your reasoning. Because Louisiana offers no sealing safety valve, the burden is on the screener to read each record accurately.

The tenant's side: limited options to clean a record

For Louisiana renters, the honest answer is that the state provides no expungement or sealing path for eviction records. The most reliable way to keep a record clean is to avoid a possession judgment in the first place, respond to the filing, appear at the hearing, and where possible negotiate a dismissal or a payment agreement that resolves the case before judgment. If a record contains a factual error, such as a misspelled name, a wrong outcome, or a case that was actually dismissed, you can ask the parish court clerk to correct it and dispute the entry with any screening company reporting it under your FCRA rights. While that will not erase a legitimate judgment, an accurate record that shows a dismissal or a tenant win reads far better to the next landlord.

Step-by-Step: How to Search Louisiana Eviction Records

1. Identify the county court. Find the Justice of the Peace Court (rural) / City Court or Parish Civil District Court (urban) website for the county where the property is located.
2. Search by party name. Enter the prospective tenant's full legal name (last name, first name) as a defendant/respondent. Try name variations including maiden names.
3. Filter by case type. Select eviction, forcible detainer, unlawful detainer, or summary possession as the case type depending on the court's terminology.
4. Review the disposition. Identify whether the case resulted in a judgment for the landlord (eviction), dismissal (tenant won or case settled), or is still pending. A filing alone does not mean the tenant was evicted.
5. Check the filing date. Consider how old the record is, most tenant-screening best practices recommend discounting records older than 5-7 years.
6. Request certified copies if needed. For a certified copy of the court record, contact the Justice of the Peace Court (rural) / City Court or Parish Civil District Court (urban) clerk's office directly. Fees are typically $0.50-$1/page.

This guide was prepared by the Eviction Risk Map research team using public information from Louisiana's parish court clerks and the state's Justice of the Peace, City, and Parish Civil District Court systems, which hear eviction (rule for possession) cases; as of this writing Louisiana has no statute creating an eviction-record expungement or sealing right. Court access, online availability, and per-page copy fees vary by parish and can change. Last reviewed June 2026. This is general information, not legal advice, consult a licensed Louisiana attorney or the relevant court clerk about a specific record.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up an eviction record in Louisiana?

Identify the parish and court that handled the case, a Justice of the Peace Court in rural areas, a City Court in towns, or the Parish Civil District Court in major metros, then contact that court clerk directly. Louisiana has no statewide portal, so you search county-by-county. Larger parishes may offer an online docket search; smaller courts require a phone call, email, or in-person visit to look up the case by tenant name, landlord name, or case number.

Are Louisiana eviction records public?

Yes. Eviction cases filed in Justice of the Peace, City, or Parish Civil District Courts are part of the public court record and can be requested through the parish court clerk. There is no statewide search site, so access depends on the individual clerk, some publish dockets online, while others keep records available only in person or by request.

Can a tenant expunge an eviction record in Louisiana?

No. Louisiana has no statute granting a right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so a filed case generally stays in the public record. A tenant's best protection is to avoid a possession judgment by responding to the case and seeking a dismissal or settlement, and to dispute any inaccurate entry with the court clerk and any screening company reporting it.

How much does a certified copy of a Louisiana eviction record cost?

Certified copies typically run $0.50 to $1 per page at the parish court clerk. Total cost depends on the length of the file, and fees vary somewhat between parishes since each clerk sets and collects its own charges. Contact the specific clerk for its current per-page rate before requesting a copy.

Related Louisiana Landlord Guides

Court portal information sourced from the Louisiana court administrative office official website. Expungement laws from published Louisiana statutes (see citations above). Last updated August 28, 2026. For informational purposes only, not legal advice.