Divorce records in the parish of St. Martin, Louisiana, are available through several channels. StMartinparishCourt.us allows for a quick view of public divorce information related to this parish. Besides this online resource, records can be obtained directly from the court that issued the decision, at the St. Martin Parish Clerk of Court's office, and at the Louisiana State Center for Vital Records. Each of these institutions holds different types of documents, so the choice depends on the specific document you need.
St. Martin Divorce Records Search
The St. Martin Parish Clerk of Court's office is responsible for maintaining divorce court records. This is where the original case files are located: divorce decrees, property division agreements, child custody orders, and related procedural documents. The state of Louisiana also records the fact of divorce at the Center for Vital Records and Statistics under the Department of Health — where divorce certificates are stored, confirming the event without details of the court decision.
The Clerk of Court handles requests in person, by mail, and by phone. Below are the contact details for the main office:
St. Martin Parish Clerk of Court
If you need a complete copy of the court case, this is the place to contact. To obtain a certificate that simply confirms the fact of divorce, it is sufficient to contact the state Vital Records office.
Where Divorce Records Are Filed in St. Martin
Divorce cases in St. Martin Parish are handled by the 16th Judicial District Court, which serves the parishes of St. Martin, Iberia, and St. Mary. Once a judge signs the divorce decree, the Clerk of Court's office registers it and stores it in the parish archive. This is the primary place to obtain the full text of the decree, including property division and custody terms.
At the same time, the state vital records registry records each divorce that occurs in Louisiana in the form of a short certificate. This document does not contain case details — only the names of the parties, date, and place of divorce.
Where to apply depends on the purpose:
- Full text of the court decree, property division agreements, custody orders — St. Martin Parish Clerk of Court.
- Divorce certificate (confirmation of fact) — Louisiana Vital Records, or the Clerk of Court of the parish where the decision was issued.
16th Judicial District Court — St. Martin Parish
Louisiana Center for Vital Records and Statistics
For genealogical research, the Louisiana Secretary of State's historical records archive may be useful, where older documents are stored.
Divorce Record Search Fees, Copy Costs, and Processing Times in St. Martin
| Service | Fee | Typical Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Certified copy of divorce decree (Clerk of Court) | Depends on the number of pages; usually from $2.00 for the first page + $0.50–$1.00 for each additional page | From a few minutes (in person) to 5–10 business days (by mail) |
| Divorce certificate (Louisiana Vital Records) | $25.00 | 2–4 weeks by mail |
| Database search in Vital Records (if record not found) | $25.00 (non-refundable search fee) | 2–4 weeks |
| Expedited processing (Vital Records, via VitalChek) | Additional fee for expedited delivery | 7–10 business days |